Here are some fascinating facts you may not know about hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are popularly known for their beauty and incredible speed. There are over 300 species of the hummingbird that is known to us. All of them belong to the Trochilidae biological family. While they are commonly found in the Americas, a majority of these species tend to live in the more tropical regions, like Central and South America. Here are some interesting facts about this adorable feathered creature.
Hummingbirds eat a lot
The metabolism of Hummingbirds is very high and as a result they have to eat all day. They have to consume food around eight times every hour.
Nectar from flowers is one of their popular foods. It is a sweet liquid made of fructose, sucrose, and glucose. However, it is not the only thing in their diet as it is a type of sugar and needs to balance out their diet to gain a good amount of energy they need to fly around.
One hummingbird species is the tiniest in the world
Generally, most hummingbird species are small. They reportedly tend to measure 3-5 inches. However, one hummingbird species is even smaller than that and it claims the title of the smallest bird in the world. It is known as the bee hummingbird and it measures only two inches long and weighs very little. The bee hummingbird is native to Cuba and is believed to have evolved to gather nectar from small flowers.
Hummingbirds are not fans of the cold
Most hummingbird species are not big fans of the cold. They are migratory birds who fly off to tropical regions during winter. However, some hummingbirds can be spotted in the wintertime. The Rufous hummingbird has been seen spending the cold season in North America. However, this is not a hard and fast rule as there are times it will migrate from Alaska to Mexico.
Hummingbirds can backwards
Hummingbirds can fly backwards and what is even more interesting is that they are reportedly the only bird on earth that can do so. The flight of hummingbirds has been a fascinating study. Researchers have been able to better under how these birds can fly and what sets them apart thanks to modern technology. High-speed cameras and wind tunnels have been able to capture larger hummingbird species beating their wings at rates of 12 beats per second. The smaller species beat their wings more than 80 times per second.
