This Dog Found an Injured Hummingbird on the Brink of Death and Helped Change Her Life Forever

In most rescue stories involving an animal, there is a brave human who steps in to save the day – well, in this story, the hero in question is none other than a dog! Rex, a German Shepherd- mix, came to the rescue of a tiny, injured hummingbird when he was out walking with his human, Ed Gernon.

The bird had fallen out of a tree and Gernon assumed it was dead because ants were crawling all around. Rex, however, could tell this little one still had a bit of a fight in her and stepped in to protect her. When Gernon rescued Rex, he was feral and was known for being a bit aggressive, so when he acted so gently towards the bird, Gernon knew he needed to step in and help.

Since this fateful day, Rex and the hummingbird, now named Hummer, have been inseparable. 

Caring for an injured hummingbird is no small task, Gernon had to hand feed Hummer every 15 minutes – regardless of the time of day … or night.

Hummer has gained a very special place in their little household. “I rescue this dog. He rescues the bird. The bird rescues all of us in a weird sense and it’s just a miracle,” Gernon said.

She follows Rex everywhere – and even shares his water bowl (which he more than happily allows)! 

While this friendship is nothing short of beautiful, Gernon is very realistic about the fact that Hummer will need to return to the wild, where she belongs. “It’s time for her to start mating and I keep leaving the doors and windows open thinking she’ll leave,” he told CBS. Now that Hummer is big and strong, we hope that she will go on to lead a healthy life back in the outdoors!

NOTE: Although this story and the video is heart-warming and cute, we do not encourage our readers to feed or rescue wildlife. Feeding wildlife interferes with the balance between wildlife populations and their habitat and could lead them to be reliant on humans for survival, amongst other problems. If you find an animal in need, contact a local wildlife rehabber/rescuer or veterinarian ASAP, or call a rescue hotline. Here are some that might help!