There are two new visitors from the Amazon settling in at a Warwickshire tourist spot.

The ruby-throated Emerald Hummingbirds are the latest arrivals at Stratford Butterfly Farm.

They grow to just 10cm in length and have long slender beaks to reach down into the centre of flowers to drink nectar. The male hummingbird has metallic green feathers with a bright red throat.

Jon Clark, entomologist at the butterfly farm, said:

“People love the hummingbirds because they have a lot of confidence. Their mastery of flight is outstanding as they hover and drink nectar only a metre away from people, providing they remain still.

“It is a fabulous opportunity for the public to get right up close to some exotic birds in a habitat similar to their native one. Although they are quite tough little birds, they do require protection from bad weather.

“A tropical house like this is one of the best places in the UK to keep them. They settled in here after a couple of days and are perfectly happy. In fact some of them even started pestering the staff when they want extra nectar to drink!”

And the hummingbirds have a serious job to do at the farm by acting as a pest controller.

Richard Lamb, butterfly farm manager, said:

“We cannot use any pesticides because that would kill the butterflies as well as the pests. Instead we have to use biological methods to control problem animals and the hummingbirds help us with this.

“They will eat tiny insects as well as drinking nectar so they help to keep pest numbers low. The plants are more healthy and so provide better food for our caterpillars.

“Our butterflies are never in danger of being eaten by the hummingbirds, they are much too large for that.”

The butterfly farm is on Tramway Walk, Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford – tel 01789 299299 or e-mail stratford_butterfly_farm@compuserve.com.
  

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