In an earlier post I mentioned the praying mantis as one of my favorite critters. As well I must include hummingbirds. They are truly an amazing and beautiful birds. Next to bats and dragons, hummingbirds are my favorite flying creature. Perhaps you will agree with me by the end of this post.
According to World Of Hummingbirds there are many types or species of hummingbirds in the world. They claim 356 types or species of hummingbirds. That is a lot! With so many different types and variations it is hard, and perhaps unfair, to try to choose a favorite hummingbird.
Most types or species of hummingbirds live in Central and South America. Their colors can vary widely from rather simple browns to brilliant reds, blues, greens, and purples. The bright radiant color on hummingbirds comes from iridescent coloring like on a soap bubble or prism.
The hummingbird has its only natural habitat in the Americas. They will be as far north as Alaska or as far south as Chile with most hummingbirds chilling out in the South America. There are five types or species of hummingbirds that are the most recognized in North America. These are the Allen’s, Rufous, Anna’s, Costa’s, and the Ruby-Throated. I recall while I was living in Germany going into a shop that catered to Americans and seeing feeders for hummingbirds. Someone did not do their research. But this was long before Al Gore invented the Internet so…
Here are some interesting hummingbird facts and general information about hummingbirds courtesy of World of Hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world.
A hummingbird’s brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.
Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to and how long it will take a flower to refill.
Hummingbirds can hear better and see farther than humans.
A hummingbird will take about 250 breaths per minute while at rest. (Think about that for a second. That is over four breaths per second!)
A hummingbird’s metabolism is roughly 100 times that of an elephant.
The hummingbird’s body temperature is around 107 degrees Fahrenheit.
A hummingbird can weigh anywhere between 2 and 20 grams. For reference a penny weighs 2.5 grams
Sadly most hummingbirds die in the first year of life.
A hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times per minute and about 250 times per minute at rest.
A hummingbird’s heart is 2.5% of the total body weight.
A hummingbird wings will beat about 70 times per second and up to 200 times per second when diving.
A hummingbird can fly an average of 25-30 miles per hour (about as fast as my grandma drives!) and dive up to 60 miles per hour.
Hummingbirds have an average life span of about 5 years and can live for more than 10 years.
Hummingbirds need to eat on average 7 times per hour for about 30-60 seconds.
A hummingbird can eat anywhere from 1/2 to eight times its body weight a day.
A hummingbird will visit an average of 1,000 flowers per day for nectar.
(For the above three reasons alone can you see why it would be good to plant some drought tolerant plants that hummingbirds like around your yard space. Every one wins… Unlike the New York Mets… Just sayin’)
Hummingbirds eat small soft bugs including bees for protein. (Bees? Yes. Like the honey badger the hummingbird don’t care.)
A hummingbirds favorite color is red (I like to think it is Ferrari Red but that’s just me…)
And the #1 interesting fact about hummingbirds:
Hummingbirds don’t read books on what they are supposed to do and tend to do what they want. (Sort of like the honey badger or praying mantis right?)
You can attract hummingbirds to your yard…assuming you live in the Americas…using hummingbird feeders. I strongly recommend live plants instead. Just ask the folks at your local plant nursery what is best for your environment. If you can, get drought tolerant plants. These are just over all better. Still, hummingbirds will take sugar-water from specially designed bird feeders. White granulated sugar is the best sweetener to use in hummingbird feeders with a ratio of one part sugar to four parts water as a common recipe. Boiling and then cooling this mixture before use is recommended to help deter the growth of bacteria and yeasts. Make sure you cool it before putting it outside for the birds. You do not want to burn their little tongues. Aslo know that in the south west United States there are two types of nectar drinking bats so if your feeders are empty every morning you will know why. (Or maybe it is leaking. I dunno. Check it out.)
Hopefully this brief visit to the world of hummingbirds will help you develop an appreciation for this amazing critter. Perhaps you will be inspired to attract these birds to your own outdoor spaces and they will bring a smile to you as they do me.
What do you think about hummingbirds? Do you have them around your living or work space? Let me know in the comments. Would love to hear from you. It makes me smile.