The world of birds is filled with many fascinating species. One of these has got to be the hummingbird.
Check out some more cool hummingbird facts.
Did You Know?
- Hummingbirds beat their wings extremely fast when they are hovering. It ranges from 720 beats-per-minute all the way up to 5,400 beats-per-minute!
- The hummingbird is the only species of bird that can fly backward
- Hummingbirds got their name from the sound their beating wings make – they hum.
- When hummingbirds fly in the rain, they dispel the droplets by violently shaking their heads. They can shake their heads up to 132 times per second!
- The hummingbird has no sense of smell.
- When the hummingbird migrates, it flies up to 20 hours a day non-stop. They must fly over the Gulf of Mexico for 500 miles.
- The Rufous Hummingbird has the longest migration. It must travel 3,000 miles from Alaska to Mexico where it will spend the winter months.
- This little bird must eat a lot. On an average day, a hummingbird will consume double its body weight in nectar.
- A hummingbird eats by protracting and contracting its tongue. It does this around 13 times per second.
- The female hummingbird only lays two eggs each season. Her eggs are smaller than jelly beans.
- The average Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs 3 grams – a nickel weighs 4.5 grams!