Hummingbirds

Hello,
Today, we're talking about an amazing group of birds that are known for their colours and the speed they beat their wings. That's right: hummingbirds!

General

Hummingbirds live in North and South America. They are some of the smallest and most colourful birds in the world. There are about 330 different kinds.

Their name comes from the humming sound that their wings make. They eat nectar and insects using their long bills. Some species migrate during the winter.

Flight

The wings of a hummingbird beat so fast that the hummingbird can hover in one place and can fly forwards, backwards or sideways. Small hummingbirds beat their wings about 70-80 times per second. During courtship displays or when chasing rivals, their wings can beat up to 200 times per second.

Feeding

Hummingbirds eat the nectar from the insides of flowers. They hover in front of a flower and put their long and slender bills inside to suck up the nectar. This provides them with enough energy to power their fast-moving wings.

Nests

The eggs of a hummingbird are the size of a pea. They are laid in a small nest made of moss bark and leaves. These materials are held together by the silk from a spider’s web and blend in with their surroundings, which keeps the nest and eggs safe from predators.

I hope you enjoyed reading about these incredible animals!

Images:
Macro Photography of Colorful Hummingbird is owned by Pixabay on pexels.com.
Closeup Photography of Humming Bird is owned by Chris LeBoutillier on pexels.com.
Brown Hummingbird Selective Focus Photography is owned Phillipe Donn by on pexels.com.

Sources:
https://www.forestwildlife.org/hummingbird/
https://www.britannica.com/animal/hummingbird
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/ruby-throated-hummingbird

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