Among the smallest bird species, hummingbirds weigh from 2 to 20 grams each, are found in the Americas, and live on average five years. These beautiful fliers, also known as hummingbirds for their lightning-quick wings and their ability to hover, go backwards, and even upside down, are also appreciated for their vibrant colors and their role as pollinators. The vast majority of people enjoy watching them in their yards, and some make feeders or plant flowers to attract them.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), hummingbirds are also protected as migratory birds. There are many species of hummingbird who migrate long distances each year, sometimes covering thousands of miles to winter in Central America.
There, some people find them fascinating for different reasons. Hummingbirds are regarded as possessing powerful mystical powers by some cultures of Latin America. They can be used to cast powerful spells of love. A love charm, known as a chuparosa, is made from hummingbirds collected in the wild. Chuparosa demand is spreading from Mexico to shops in the United States, posing an additional threat to these small birds already struggling with climate change and habitat loss. Hummingbirds can often be seen in markets all over Mexico on a given day.
We don't know the full extent of the damage this market has done to hummingbird populations (at least 13 species of hummingbirds are threatened, and five are endangered in Mexico), but the indiscriminate manner in which they are collected does not bode well for these prized animals.
In addition to some state laws, smuggling hummingbirds from Mexico to the United States violates several federal laws including the Lacey Act and the MBTA. The illegal trade also violates the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty enforceable in the U.S. under the Endangered Species Act.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), hummingbirds are also protected as migratory birds. There are many species of hummingbird who migrate long distances each year, sometimes covering thousands of miles to winter in Central America.
There, some people find them fascinating for different reasons. Hummingbirds are regarded as possessing powerful mystical powers by some cultures of Latin America. They can be used to cast powerful spells of love. A love charm, known as a chuparosa, is made from hummingbirds collected in the wild. Chuparosa demand is spreading from Mexico to shops in the United States, posing an additional threat to these small birds already struggling with climate change and habitat loss. Hummingbirds can often be seen in markets all over Mexico on a given day.
We don't know the full extent of the damage this market has done to hummingbird populations (at least 13 species of hummingbirds are threatened, and five are endangered in Mexico), but the indiscriminate manner in which they are collected does not bode well for these prized animals.
In addition to some state laws, smuggling hummingbirds from Mexico to the United States violates several federal laws including the Lacey Act and the MBTA. The illegal trade also violates the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty enforceable in the U.S. under the Endangered Species Act.
