San-Cap Audubon to present ‘Hummingbirds of the Northern Andes’
The Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society will welcome Peter Hawrylyshyn for a presentation, “Hummingbirds of the Northern Andes,” on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
With eye-popping names such as ruby-topaz, emeralds, sapphires, pufflegs and woodnymphs, hummingbirds have frequently been called “Flying Jewels” because of their colors and ability to fly in any direction. Hummingbirds also have one of the fastest rates of molecular evolution. Nowhere is this more evident than in the northern Andes of South America, where over 150 species evolved from a common ancestor over the past 10 million to 15 million years.
Hawrylyshyn will detail his experiences observing and photographing the many species and will address how the geologic history and resultant ecosystems of the northern Andes have impacted the speciation of hummingbirds. He will illustrate their evolutionary adaptations, including the importance of iridescence and bill shape, their interdependence/mutualism with plant flora, and the physiologic changes that allow them to thrive in harshest environments above 15,000 feet. Hawrylyshyn will also touch on the logistic realities of traveling in the region, reveal some of its best birding sites, and give practical tips on how to photograph hummingbirds.
A long-time visitor to Sanibel, Hawrylyshyn has been photographing and recording hummingbirds of the Americas for the past decade. Based on over 15 trips and almost six months in South America, he recently published a book entitled “Hummingbirds of the Northern Andes” containing over 500 photos of 143 species. His award-winning work has appeared on BBC Nature and Cornell’s “Living Bird” and been published in reference texts.
This is the fifth of nine Sanibel-Captiva Audubon lectures to be held. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and parking is available at The Community House, as well as at the BIG ARTS Strauss Theater.
A $10 donation per attendee is appreciated, with the proceeds after costs being used to promote conservation on Sanibel and in Florida.
For information, call Bill Jacobson at 239-395-1878 or visit www.san-capaudubon.org.