lunes, 30 de agosto de 2010

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Unflappable: The helmet feeder that attracts hummingbirds to hover just inches from your face
By Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 4:08 PM on 28th October 2009

A new helmet with a built-in bird feeder will allow wearers to get amazing face to face contact with nature. The flighty birds hover in front of the wearer's face for up to 30 seconds as they drink a sugar-water solution from between the eyes of the feeder mask. The wearable hummingbird feeder is covered in images of red rhododendrons to further attract the birds and protects your eyes and face from being pecked. The wearable hummingbird feeder holds a sugar-water solution that is dispened through a tube that exits between the eyes of the mask
Hummingbirds, which are mainly found in central and south America, are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat and reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 10 per cent sugar. They often take sugar water from artificial feeders, which provide a reliable source of energy especially when flower blossoms are less abundant. Those who want to try out the gadget need to have patience. The mask is first placed over a can of paint for a few days to allow the birds to get used to it. More...Vile-smelling foreign ladybirds set to invade homes this winter. Even then the birds can take a while to approach the eye2eye mask, according to designer Doyle Doss, from California, U.S. Still he insisted it was well worth the wait. 'You're sitting quietly, with restricted vision and staying still, when wham - there's a hummingbird in your face,' Mr Doss said. 'It happens so fast and is a definite adrenaline rush. 'I tell folks that hummingbirds are the alcoholics of the bird world - never get between them and the bottle of sugar water.'
Bird's eye view: Patient mask wearers have incredible close-up views of hummingbirds. Hummingbirds can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-90 times per second and can fly at speeds of up to 34 miles per hour. Their name derives from the characteristic hum made by their rapid wing beats. The website where the masks are sold for £49 promises the feeder 'will take your relationship with your hummingbirds to a whole new level.' 'Individual characteristics become very noticeable when you can inspect the hummers at this very intimate close distance. 'They sound different, they feed differently, they arrive at the station differently.'
Unfortunately Hummingbirds have never been found in the wild anywhere in Europe. Those who think they may have spotted one have probably seen a hummingbird hawkmoth, according to the RSPB.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1223576/Helmet-feeder-attracts-hummingbirds-just-inches-face.html

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