It sounds like a cat is a bird, but flies like an harrier jet. It is amazing! We are often fooled by nature’s incredible beauty, and even more when we think that we know everything. The amazing world of hummingbirds is here. These birds have an amazing combination of agility, control, and hyperactivity. Let’s dive deeper into the subject. Here are the top 10 facts you didn’t know about hummingbirds all over the world.
Let’s start with something very simple. HUMMMING BIRDS ARE SIMPLE SPECIES. Hummingbirds, tiny, cute and colourful birds, get their name from their humming sound when their wings flap very quickly. Their wings flap so fast it’s almost impossible to see with the naked eye. The constant fluttering causes a hum, hence the name “hummingbird”.
Hummingbirds can fly like Jagger! Hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards. Imagine traveling at 100km/h. Imagine flying 100km/h in reverse! Yes, exactly! Mind=blown. Hummingbirds are able to fly in all directions, including upside down. Hummingbirds are the only vertebrae capable of hovering for some time during flight.
Hummingbirds lack a sense of smell. It makes up for this with a keen and accurate sense of sight. Their vision is amazing and they can see ultraviolet light. This makes their world appear more vibrant than ours. Hummingbirds are also able to hear better than humans.
When at rest, hummingbirds average 250 breaths per hour. At rest, the average human heartbeat is between 60 and 100 beats per hour. When they fly, their breathing speed is much faster. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird recorded 615 beats per hour, which is the highest ever recorded pulse rate.
Let’s spice it up a bit by dispelling a myth about these colorful little birds. Hummingbirds are believed to die if they stop flying. This is, thankfully, absurd. People rarely see them at rest. No, hummingbirds do not rest and sleep after a hard day of work.
Hummingbirds, despite their small size and vulnerability to danger, aren’t easily scared. They are one of the most aggressive bird species, and will attack larger birds than they. If they feel threatened, or if another bird violates their territory, they will attack jays, crows and even hawks. The Rufous hummingbird is the most well-known hummingbird because of its temper.
The smallest migrating bird species is the hummingbird. Although most species migrate in groups, hummingbirds travel solo for 500 to 600 miles. They are known to travel over 2,000 miles per year during their migration. Hummingbirds are also believed to travel on top of other species, which is completely false. We have disproved another myth!
Average Ruby-throated Hummingbirds weigh 3g The average Anna’s hummingbird weight is between 4 and 4.5 grams. One nickel weighs 4.5 grams. The weight of a hummingbird weighs less than that of an nickel. To weigh one pound, it would take 140-150 hummingbirds! Hummingbirds live between 3 and 5 years. However, some species of hummingbirds can live as long as 10 years.
The brain of the hummingbird makes up 4.2% their body mass. Their brains are 7,000 times smaller that a human’s. Despite this, they are able to track time, memorize flower locations and even code geometry. They are able to recognize and recall people. In some cases, they have even been known to fly around people’s heads to warn them of empty feeders and bring to their attention that sugar water is bad. It is possible to get hummingbirds used to humans and persuade them to perch on your finger while they feed.
A hummingbird egg is the same size as a tic tac or small jellybean. The egg is less than 1/2 in long but may still be 10% of the mother’s total weight when she gave birth. They lay two eggs, and incubate for between 15-18 days. After hatching, the baby hummingbirds often leave their nests within 20 to 28 days. This is an important fact about hummingbirds.
