44. ~ Hummingbird ~

To the Indians of Turtle Island (North America) the hummingbird is known as the 'tobacco bird' or 'medicine bird.' Tobacco is one of the four sacred medicines used by most nations/tribes. This bird received its name because it is instrumental in the pollenation of the tobacco plant - hence the nickname of the 'tobacco bird.' This bird has extraordinary flying abilities. The tobacco bird has fewer feathers than any other bird. Each type of hummingbird has its own song. The breeding season is between March and July. There are more than three hundred species. These creatures can flap their wings at ninety beats per second. This motion produces a humming sound. Tobacco birds are truly professional hovers, and no other bird flies backwards. They have amazing endurance and fantastic speeds. The male will court the female by flying back and forth in an arc pattern. These wee birds weigh a tenth of an ounce and have a five-inch wingspan. A large tocacco bird is only four inches in length. Their call is a series of high-pitched squeaks and whistle noises. This medicine bird is very compatible with humans. It wears beautiful iridescent rainbow wings. It is one of the smallest birds on Earth Mother. Their long bills and tongues assist them in extracting nectar from flowers. It is amazing to most bird lovers how huge the appetite is of these little winged ones. They can eat fifty to sixty meals per day. These are little knights in colourful armor. They are unafraid of their predators. Medicine birds have even been seen chasing eagles! Hummingbirds are master architects. It is the female who constructs their very tiny nest. They will use the silk from spider webs to help construct their nests. Tobacco birds are small miracles at work.

Medicine:

Hummingbirds symbolize joy, good luck, hard work, and the accomplishing of the impossible. Hummingbird medicine teaches us to be fiercely original and independent. The medicine bird teaches to use flowers, fragrance, colour and herbs to heal us. This little bird tells us to act like a warrior and to fight for our loved ones. The tobacco bird reminds us to create sheer joy and give thanks in our home. They remind us to notice the little miracles that happen around us each day. Hummingbirds tell us to seek plenty of undisturbed sleep. The medicine of the tobacco bird shows us it is time to move with great speed using every maneuver in the book. The medicine of the hummingbird is to hum! My grandmother taught me 'only honest people hum to themselves'.