Hummingbirds produce the distinctive humming sound that gives them their name as they flap their wings at an amazing rate, usually between 50 and 80 beats per second.
Famous for their extraordinary agility in flight are hummingbirds. Their distinctive wing structure and quick wing beats allow them to hover, fly backward, and even upside down with incredible accuracy.
Among all bird species, hummingbirds have one of the highest metabolisms. They need to eat a large percentage of their body weight in nectar and insects each day to meet their energy needs.
A few species of hummingbirds go on spectacular migrations. For example, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird spends the winter months flying up to 2,000 kilometers from North America to Central America.
As they eat on nectar, hummingbirds are essential to the pollination process because they carry pollen from blossom to flower. The plants that hummingbirds frequent and the birds themselves gain from this mutualistic relationship.
Hummingbird eggs are much smaller, despite their diminutive size. They are typically laid in meticulously built nests made of plant materials and spider silk, and they are around the size of a pea, frequently no bigger than a thumbnail.
Famous for their extraordinary agility in flight are hummingbirds. Their distinctive wing structure and quick wing beats allow them to hover, fly backward, and even upside down with incredible accuracy.
Their feathers contain minute platelets that reflect and refract light, giving them an iridescent and bright plumage. These feathers seem to change color depending on the viewpoint.