Hummingbirds

Information about Hummingbirds:

Hummingbirds comprise the members of the family Trochilidae. The name comes from the distinctive humming sound made by the beating of their wings. They are some of the smallest birds in the world, including the smallest living bird on the planet – the Bee Hummingbird which is a mere 2 inches (5cm) long. Hummingbirds are excellent flyers, and can hover still in the same place high amazing accuracy. Their wings beat an astonishing 12-90 times per second – depending on the species. They are the only bird that can fly backwards. Similarly, their hearts beat very rapidly too and can reach over 1000 beats per minute. Unlike other birds, they are very ungainly on the ground and almost never walk.

Hummingbirds mostly feed on nectar, which they obtain by hovering near a flower and inserting their beak into it. Often the size and shape of the hummingbirds beak is specially adapted to the types of flowers it feeds on. They will also eat insects in order to obtain protein. Because of their high metabolism, hummingbirds will ingest more than their own weight in food each day. They are never more than a few hours from starving, and are able to store just enough food to last them through the night. Hummingbirds spend about 10-15% of their day feeding, and the other 85-90% sitting and digesting.