Hummingbirds are tantalizing. They are colorful and happy and always seem to make our gardens brighter. We already know that they absolutely love nectar, that they are speedy and that their hearts beat at a really fast pace. But who doesn’t know that? If you’re looking for new hummingbird material, here are six very interesting fun facts you have never heard about before.
- The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (very common in our lovely state of New York) is the only species of hummingbird in North America that breeds east of the Great Plains. The tiny bird can fly non-stop for more than 1,200 miles.
- Hummingbirds in the United States are critical wildflower pollinators. The 2,000 species of pollinating birds worldwide play an important role in sustaining the health of the global ecosystem and food supply.
- Actor Jon Hamm once rescued a hummingbird that flew into a home. Here’s a video and recap of the encounter as well as instructions on how to help any trapped birds in your own home.
- As small as they are, hummingbirds are ready prey for predators ranging from frogs to Greater Roadrunners to spiders and dragonflies.
- To protect themselves, some species of hummingbirds build their nests near hawks’ nests. The hawks keep hummingbird predators like squirrels and jays away from the nest, while ignoring the hummers themselves (since they’re too small to be a worthy meal for the raptor).
- Hummingbird tongues act as small pumps that consume nectar at a rate of approximately 15 licks per second.
Want to know more about these curious birds and help us track their conservation status? Download our app Hummingbirds at Home now.