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Hummingbird
Festival Attracts Birds-of-a-Feather to Lake
Roberts
(Silver City, New Mexico) Even
experienced birders toting binoculars and
spotting scopes with checklists a mile long find
fauna-filled New Mexico exciting, offering some
of the finest bird-watching spots in the world,
featuring hundreds of resident and migrating
species.
No
species is as popular in the Land of
Enchantment, however, than the bird world’s
smallest, featured once again at the Hummingbird
Festival in Lake Roberts July 25-26, 2009,
sponsored by Hummingbirds of New Mexico, a
non-profit organization.
“Hummingbirds are pretty special,” said Lake
Roberts’ Joan Day-Martin. “Most people don’t
think of them as a pollinator, but they are very
important in New Mexico during migration and
breeding season. A great deal of the state’s
wildflower population is dependent on
hummingbirds. In fact, some are only pollinated
by hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are profoundly
important to New Mexico wildlife.”
New Mexico’s location within a major southern
migration route for hummingbirds makes it a
great place to see these tiny birds. There have
been encounters of 18 separate species of
hummingbirds within New Mexico - very few states
can claim this diversity of species.
This year’s schedule includes hummingbird
banding, educational slide presentations and
other activities for all ages. Local artists
offer an assortment of products, including
hummingbird art and photography, feeders,
hand-napped arrows made and sold, pottery,
ceramics, jewelry, books by local authors,
T-shirts and caps.
“The Hummingbird Festival may be one of New
Mexico’s more unique small-town festivals,” said
Michael Cerletti, secretary of the New Mexico
Tourism Department. “The folks in Southwest New
Mexico schedule numerous annual events to enjoy
with family and friends and to entertain their
guests. They are to be commended for their
promotional efforts.”
Lake Roberts is north of Silver City on State
Road 35. The Festival location is at the west
end of Lake Roberts, behind the Sapillo Creek
Fire & Rescue Department.
For more information, call 575-536-3866 or visit
www.hummingbirdsofnewmexico.com.
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