What bird hums while beating their wings 70 times per second and flies vertically up and suddenly backwards, and can live in hot and cold climates? It’s the hummingbird. You will see this bird’s appearance is unusual, its habitat is in many places, and it behaves uniquely.
A humming is a unique bird that is sometimes mistaken for an insect. A hummingbird is a small bird that is 6-12 cm. The hummingbird’s feathers are so shiny you see different colors like green, red, yellow, orange, and blue that reflect from light. The little bird’s heart beats about 20-40 times per second. The wings of this beautiful bird moves so fast it hums. That’s why it is called the hummingbird. The bird eats nectar with its long thin beak which has an extendable tongue.
The hummingbird lives in many different places and climates. This tiny bird is found in regions from the Americas, Alaska, and Canada to Tierra del Fuego, including the West Indies. Its favorite habitat is warm climates, mostly tropical Central America and South America. It can survive in temperatures as low as -40F. The hummingbird likes places where they are flowers. Hummingbirds make their homes in neatly woven cup inside tree branches. The female does all the work the males take no part in nesting.
The Hummingbird reminds me of a gigantic bumble bee. They are known for their ability to hover in mid-air, rapidly flapping their wings. The Hummingbirds wings beat seventy beats per second. Their favorite foods are insects and nectar from flowers. These small birds have the highest metabolism of all animals. They consume more than their own weight in food each day. Most likely the only animals enemies Hummingbirds have are eagles and hawks. The best protection for a hummingbird is their speed. A hummingbird gets food from a flower. They are attracted to red and other bright colors.
If you hear a humming sound coming from a colorful garden, look closely in the direction of the sound. If you are lucky you will see a four inch bird flapping their wings while getting nectar.
Picture from Wikipedia
Back to Our Animal Stories