Intro about Hummingbirds
Hello and welcome to the site dedicated to Hummingbirds.
In this text we will give you basic facts about Hummingbirds and by clicking menu (above) you can get some interesting facts about Hummingbirds.
Although nature is as mysterious as it is wondrous, there are an abundance of things you can learn for yourself, and one of the most interesting creatures to observe would have to be the Hummingbird. A Hummingbird is a small and agile animal that comes in a variety of different colors (as in them being colorful birds in their own right), they sport a coat of iridescent feathers that only they could make look so good. One of the most common facts that people know pertaining to the Hummingbird is how quickly they fly, they actually flap their wings around 80 times per second (which is almost incomprehensible
They can fly however they please, as they have the ability to fly up, right, left and down with immense speed (and in some drastic cases Hummingbirds have been reported to fly upside down!). The way that Hummingbirds hover is quite unique, as they move their wings in a figure-eight formation (as opposed to the traditional up and down motion most birds use to hover). As if that wasn’t icing on the cake, Hummingbirds have unique beaks (known as bills) that allow them to get to nectar much easier. The bill itself is slender and long so that dipping into flowers and other sources of nectar won’t be difficult. The hummingbird isn’t known to walk (nor hop) on the ground, as their feet are only used to perch.
The hummingbird diet is just as unique as the entire creature itself, and this is because they have a very strict diet (it’s almost as if they were bird bodybuilders or something). Hummingbirds usually eat nectar (from flowers), tree sap, pollen and even insects. Nobody knows exactly why they eat these particular things, but they seem to be happy with their food accommodations! Hummingbirds have a rapid rate of breathing (as well as a fast heart rate), and as a result they have high body temperatures. Due to these traits the Hummingbird has to eat quite consistently, and on top of that they require a large amount of food to eat daily. The long bill actually sports a long tongue inside of it, which is used to lick up their food of choice. It doesn’t sound that exciting, but Hummingbirds can actually lick their food around 13 different times per second (imagine these things at an ice cream parlour!).
Hummingbirds are actually described as being endangered (or vulnerable), and the variety of different species makes it difficult to put a number on the population regarding regions. Although this is the case, Hummingbirds can only be found in the western hemisphere (all the way from Alaska to Chile!); most tend to make their homes in the tropics, which sounds like a pretty long vacation for a bird!
The number of different species regarding Hummingbirds is astounding, as there are a whopping 320 different species available for observation. 12 of these particular species actually spend their summers in North America, but when the winter comes they head right back down to the tropical areas (probably to get a few margaritas into their systems). Communication is also another neat trait that Hummingbirds sport, as they communicate through the use of visual triggers (among other things). Hummingbirds seem like they’re cute and innocent animals, but they can be quite territorial when the time comes. Hummingbirds have actually been reported to chase one another away from their respective territories, and they’ve even been observed chasing away much larger birds (like hawks and such); I suppose you could call Hummingbirds the most badass bird that we’ve got on this planet!
There are an abundance of threats that harm Hummingbirds on a daily basis, and although they aren’t really being hunted for their feathers anymore there’s still some problems that need to be recognized. The loss of the Hummingbird habitat has become increasingly relevant when you’re looking at the Hummingbirds life cycle, this is solely because they depend on their habitat (so much so that they adapt to each specific habitat in their own special way). This means that whenever a habitat is lost the hummingbird has a difficult time adapting to the next one, and as a result the population has been decreasing at an increased rate. Habitat loss and destruction is the main reason Hummingbirds have become vulnerable to extinction, and if we’re going to make a change for the better it needs to be soon.
There’s still hope for the Hummingbirds, and hopefully in the near future strides will be made regarding the habitat loss of these magnificent creatures. Although Hummingbirds don’t have a “song” like every other species of bird, they still vocalize as a way to communicate. They make use of chirping noises and notes, all of which are rather short for the most part. The Hummingbird flies so incredibly fast that you can hear the buzzing of its wings if you’re close enough, which is why some people refer to it as the “Feathered Bee” (and the fact that it feeds on nectar backs that nickname up).
Hummingbirds truly are beautiful creatures, so it would really be a shame if they became extinct within our lifetimes. We really wouldn’t have anybody to blame but ourselves, and we all know how weird summer would feel if there wasn’t a Hummingbird or two zipping around in the yard. Nature has so many things to offer us, but it really seems like we aren’t doing our part to keep the entire process going. If you feel like making a difference when it comes to Hummingbirds try and find a local organization dedicated to the preservation of birds (or if you don’t have one start your own!).