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Hummingbird facts for kids. Hummingbird is another potential danger to humanity (1 photo). Where does the hummingbird live

Calling the hummingbird the smallest bird on the planet is not entirely correct: only one species from the vast family of the same name can bear this title. It is as light as an ostrich feather and similar to the large bumblebee Mellisuga helenae or the bee hummingbird.

Appearance, description of a hummingbird bird

The order of hummingbirds is represented by a single, but very numerous and colorful family of hummingbirds, known to ornithologists under the Latin name Trochilidae.

In anatomy, hummingbirds are similar to passerines: they have the same short neck, long wings and a medium head. This is where the similarity ends - passerines cannot boast of either a huge “range” of beaks or the magnificent coloring of feathers that nature has endowed hummingbirds with.

Males (against females) have a more festive appearance due to bright colors and intricate feathers on the head and tail, often taking the form of tufts or tufts. The beak can be perfectly straight or curved up/down, very long (half the body) or quite modest.

It is interesting! The peculiarity of the beak is the upper half, clasping its lower part, as well as the absence of bristles at the base and a long forked tongue that extends far beyond the mouth.

Due to weak short legs, hummingbirds do not jump on the ground, but they can cling to branches and sit there. However, birds are not particularly lamented about weak limbs, devoting most of their lives to aeronautics.

Plumage and wings

The wing of a hummingbird resembles a butterfly wing: the bones in it grow together so that the bearing surface, turning into a single plane, is much larger. The control of such a wing requires special mobility of the shoulder joint and a good mass of flying muscles: in hummingbirds, they account for 25-30% of the total weight.

The tail, despite the variety of forms, consists of almost 10 feathers in almost all species. The exception is the racket-tailed hummingbird, in whose tail there are 4 steering feathers.

Due to the brightness, variety and metallic sheen of plumage, hummingbirds are often referred to as feathered jewels. The greatest merit in conferring a flattering name belongs to amazing property feathers: they refract light depending on the angle of view.

From one angle, the plumage may seem emerald, but as soon as the bird changes its position slightly, the green color instantly turns into scarlet.

Hummingbird species

Among the 330 classified species, there are both miniature and quite "solid" birds.

The largest is Patagona gigas, a gigantic hummingbird that lives in many regions of South America, often flying to a height of 4-5 thousand meters. It has a straight elongated beak, a forked tail and a record length for a hummingbird - 21.6 cm.

The smallest in the family, the bee hummingbird lives exclusively in Cuba.. The upper plumage of males is dominated by blue, while that of females is green. An adult bird does not grow more than 5.7 cm with a weight of 1.6 g.

The eagle-billed hummingbird, inhabiting Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, is notable for its beak bent downwards (almost 90 °).

It is interesting! Selasphorus rufus, the buffy hummingbird, also known as the red selasphorus, became famous for being the only hummingbird to fly into Russia. In the summer of 1976, the red selasphorus visited Ratmanov Island, and eyewitnesses assured that they saw hummingbirds on Chukotka and Wrangel Island.

The habitual habitat is North America (from western California to southern Alaska). For the winter, the buffy hummingbird flies to Mexico. The bird has a thin, awl-like beak and a small length (8-8.5 cm).

Another curious member of the family has the longest (against the background of the body) beak: 9-11 cm with a bird length of 17-23 cm. The bird with predominant dark green plumage received the speaking name "sword beak".

Living in the wild

Hummingbirds prefer to spend their days among fragrant flowers, choosing, as a rule, warm tropical forests.

Range, habitats

The homeland of all hummingbirds is the New World. Hummingbirds flooded Central and South America, as well as the southern regions of North America. Almost all species of hummingbirds lead a sedentary life. Exceptions include several species, including the ruby-throated hummingbird, whose habitat borders extend to Canada and the Rocky Mountains.

Ascetic living conditions force this species to go to Mexico with the onset of cold weather, covering a distance of 4-5 thousand kilometers. On the way, the ruby-throated hummingbird picks up a decent speed for its build - about 80 km / h.

area certain types limited to local area. Such species, called endemics, include, for example, the bee hummingbird already known to us, which never leaves Cuba.

Hummingbird lifestyle

As often happens in small animals, hummingbirds compensate for their compact size with a quarrelsome character, love of life and hypertrophied mobility. They do not hesitate to attack larger birds, especially when it comes to protecting offspring.

Hummingbirds lead a solitary lifestyle, showing increased vigor in the morning and afternoon. With the onset of dusk, they fall into a short-term night hibernation.

It is interesting! Superfast metabolism requires constant saturation, which cannot be at night. To slow down metabolism, the hummingbird falls asleep: at this time, the body temperature drops to 17-21 ° C, and the pulse slows down. Hibernation ends at sunrise.

Contrary to popular belief, in flight, not all hummingbirds make 50-100 strokes per second: large hummingbirds are limited to 8-10 strokes.

The flight of a bird is somewhat reminiscent of the flight of a butterfly, but certainly surpasses the latter in complexity and maneuverability. The hummingbird flies up and down, back and forth, to the sides, hovering motionlessly, and also starts and lands vertically.

When hovering, the bird's wings describe a figure eight in the air, which allows them to remain still, holding the body of the hummingbird strictly vertically. This distinguishes hummingbirds from other birds that can hover exclusively flat. The movements of the wings are so fleeting that their outlines blur: it seems that the hummingbird just froze in front of the flower.

Food, hummingbird prey

Due to the accelerated metabolism, birds are forced to continuously feed themselves with food, the search for which they are busy day and night. The hummingbird is so insatiable that it eats twice as much as it weighs in a day.. You will never see a dining bird sitting on the ground or on a branch - the meal takes place exclusively on the fly.

It is interesting! Most of the diet of hummingbirds is nectar and pollen from tropical plants. Different hummingbirds have their own gastronomic preferences: someone flies from flower to flower, and someone is able to feast on nectar from a single plant species.

There is an assumption that the shape of the beak is also determined by the structure of the flower cup. various kinds hummingbird.

To get the nectar, the bird has to lower the tongue into the neck of the flower at least 20 times in a second. Upon touching the sweet substance, the twisted tongue unfolds and twists again as it is drawn into the beak.

Nectar and pollen provide birds with plenty of carbohydrates, but cannot satisfy their need for proteins. That is why they have to hunt small insects, which they catch right on the fly or tear off the web.

natural enemies of birds

In nature, hummingbirds do not have many enemies. Birds are often hunted down by tarantulas and tree snakes, biding their time among the abundant tropical greenery.

The list of natural enemies of hummingbirds can also include a person who destroys miniature birds for the sake of sparkling feathers. Feather hunters have done a lot to ensure that certain species of hummingbirds (especially those with a limited range) have declined, approaching the line of complete extinction.

Hummingbird is perhaps the smallest and most delightful creation of our mother nature. The smallest hummingbird is called "bee hummingbird", this bird is only 7 centimeters long and weighs 2 grams; the largest representative of the hummingbird is called the "giant hummingbird", its length is 21 centimeters and its weight is about 20 grams.

Nature researchers also awarded other representatives of this family with very beautiful names: “angel hummingbird”, “snow-capped hummingbird”, “coquette hummingbird”, “emerald neck”, “fiery topaz”, “flying amethyst”.

There are over 300 varieties of hummingbirds in the world. At first glance, these birds are very delicate and fragile, however, they are the hardiest in the entire animal world. There are hummingbirds in a variety of climatic conditions: Arizona, the coast of Nova Scotia, Argentina, even Alaska. Interesting fact: Hummingbirds live only in the New World.

Hummingbirds live for about 9 years.

The hummingbird has an incredibly developed heart, its volume is three times the size of the stomach and takes up half of the already tiny body. This is due to the fact that these birds lead a very mobile lifestyle, and also have a very fast metabolism. We also note that hummingbirds have several times more red blood cells than other representatives of birds.

The heart of a hummingbird beats with an incredibly high frequency, 500 beats per minute (and this is at rest, and in some species it can reach 1000), and during the life of this crumb, the heart contracts 4.5 billion times, which is almost twice more beats than a human heart beats in 70 years.

Hummingbirds need a lot of food. The daily norm of food exceeds the weight of a hummingbird twice. It is clear that this is the only way they can maintain such a fast metabolism and a stable temperature of their bodies. The diet of a hummingbird is flower nectar and small insects.

The flight speed of a hummingbird reaches 80 kilometers per hour, while they make 8-10 flaps of wings in one second. The wings move so fast that they are almost invisible. They hover motionlessly over the flower only due to the incredible speed of their wings.

With the help of a camera that can capture brief moments, an interesting moment was captured when the hummingbird entered the peak. As a result, stunning data were obtained: the speed of the bird is 400 of its bodies per second.

If we compare the speed and body length of a hummingbird, it turns out that their ratio is much higher than that of a fighter with afterburner turned on and that of a space shuttle when passing through the earth's atmosphere. At the moment of exit from the peak, the hummingbird shows such instant braking, which is beyond the control of other living organisms conquering the airspace.

These little birds never form a pair. Responsibilities for family affairs fall entirely on the "shoulders" of the female. She herself builds a nest and later raises the chicks. A female hummingbird usually lays two eggs and very rarely one.

The only time a hummingbird was found on the territory Russian Federation. The ocher hummingbird was discovered in 1976 on Ratmanov Island (Bering Strait).

Hummingbird is not only a small bird. A similar name is: a musical group from St. Petersburg; in 2004, a publishing house for the book industry was founded in Russia; pistol, the creator of which is the designer Franz Pfannlem; hybrid balloons; German kayak with a unique frame.

Hummingbirds can rightly be given another name, however, one for all species - a chameleon. This “baby” is constantly of a different color, depending on what time of day it is seen and from which “side”. By the way, the strong half of this family is more attractive to the eyes - the color range and brightness are simply amazing. Ladies are clearly losing to them here.

The diet of these cute "babies" does not correspond to their "figure" at all. They eat fabulously much. It seems that they have an "eternal zhor". Considering that the most common hummingbird weighs about 2.5 g, it eats two or even three times more. And drink, drink, drink.

These tiny creatures are a delight to watch. But it is very difficult to “catch” them with a glance on the branches - hummingbirds are constantly on the move.

An interesting fact is that hummingbirds are able to fall into a lethargic sleep. During the day, the body temperature of a hummingbird is 39-40 degrees Celsius, and at night, when the ambient temperature drops, the bird falls into a stupor, its body temperature drops to 18 degrees, breathing becomes barely noticeable. Thus, the hummingbird reduces energy consumption. And with the onset of morning and an increase in air temperature, the hummingbird returns to its usual state.

The beak of a hummingbird is thin and long, sometimes very long; for example, in the sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera), the beak is longer than the entire length of the bird (i.e. head, neck and torso). Thus, this species of hummingbird turns out to be the longest-billed bird in the world.

The hummingbird is a polygamous bird. Most hummingbird species nest in trees and bushes; some species, like swifts, stick their nests to rocks or leaves with saliva. The hummingbird builds very skillfully nests from plant fluff, blades of grass, etc., and attach lichens, moss, etc. to them. Nests are hung from branches or the ends of leaves. Only the female hummingbird takes part in the construction of the nest.

Two white eggs are laid, which are incubated by one female for 14-19 days. The chicks in the photo of the hummingbird are naked, weak and helpless, they are also fed by one female.

These fragile-looking creatures are the hardiest in the animal kingdom. They are found in very different, often even harsh climates from Alaska to Argentina, from the deserts of Arizona to the coast of Nova Scotia, from the Brazilian selva to the snow line of the Andes. (Interestingly, these birds only live in the New World.)

Hummingbirds are able to hover motionless over a flower almost vertically. This is a unique property. All over the world, only a hawk bird can do this.

This is the only bird species that can fly backwards and to the sides, rise and fall sharply vertically.

During migration, hummingbirds are able to cover a thousand kilometers in less than a day.

Per unit weight, hummingbirds consume about a hundred times more food than elephants.

Plumage - this is where nature did not stint on colors - bright colors and iridescent shine are inherent in birds. Boys can be distinguished from girls by the original shape of the head and tail feathers. Birds have another feature - their plumage looks different every time. If at first glance the bird may seem greenish in color, then at the second glance the plumage may play with purple hues - this is a feature of light refraction.

The greatest danger to the existence of the smallest birds in the world is a man who destroys wonderful birds for the sake of beautiful feathers. Also, the direct enemies of hummingbirds are the tarantula and tree snakes.

The hummingbird egg is the smallest in the world. The photo shows the most big egg(Epiornis egg), ostrich and smallest hummingbird egg. This bird is also the smallest bird on the entire planet. It looks more like a dragonfly than a representative of birds. Hummingbirds feed only on pollen from flowers.

Nature researchers also awarded other representatives of this family with very beautiful names: “angel hummingbird”, “snow-capped hummingbird”, “coquette hummingbird”, “emerald neck”, “fiery topaz”, “flying amethyst”.

There are over 300 varieties of hummingbirds in the world. At first glance, these birds are very delicate and fragile, however, they are the hardiest in the entire animal world. There are hummingbirds in a variety of climatic conditions: Arizona, the coast of Nova Scotia, Argentina, even Alaska. An interesting fact: hummingbirds live only in the New World.

Hummingbirds live for about 9 years.

The heart of a hummingbird beats with an incredibly high frequency, 500 beats per minute (and this is at rest, and in some species it can reach 1000), and during the life of this crumb, the heart contracts 4.5 billion times, which is almost twice more beats than a human heart beats in 70 years.

Hummingbirds need a lot of food. The daily norm of food exceeds the weight of a hummingbird twice. It is clear that this is the only way they can maintain such a fast metabolism and a stable temperature of their bodies. The diet of a hummingbird is flower nectar and small insects..

The flight speed of a hummingbird reaches 80 kilometers per hour, while they make 8-10 flaps of wings in one second. The wings move so fast that they are almost invisible. They hover motionlessly over the flower only due to the incredible speed of their wings.

With the help of a camera that can capture brief moments, an interesting moment was captured when the hummingbird entered the peak. As a result, stunning data were obtained: the speed of the bird is 400 of its bodies per second.

These little birds never form a pair. Responsibilities for family affairs fall entirely on the "shoulders" of the female. She herself builds a nest and later raises the chicks. The female hummingbird usually lays two eggs and very rarely one..

The only time a hummingbird was found on the territory of the Russian Federation. The ocher hummingbird was discovered in 1976 on Ratmanov Island (Bering Strait).

Hummingbird is not only a small bird. A similar name is: a musical group from St. Petersburg; in 2004, a publishing house for the book industry was founded in Russia; pistol, the creator of which is the designer Franz Pfannlem; hybrid balloons; German kayak with a unique frame

Hummingbirds can rightfully be given another name, however, one for all species - a chameleon. This "baby" is constantly of a different color, depending on what time of day to see it and from which "side". By the way, the strong half of this family is more attractive to the eyes - the color scheme and brightness are simply amazing. Ladies are clearly losing to them here.

The diet of these cute "babies" does not correspond to their "figure" at all. They eat fabulously much. It seems that they have "eternal zhor". Considering that the most common hummingbird weighs about 2.5 g, it eats two or even three times more. And drink, drink, drink.

These tiny creatures are a delight to watch. But it is very difficult to "catch" them with a glance on the branches - hummingbirds are constantly on the move.

The beak of a hummingbird is thin and long, sometimes very long; for example, in the sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera), the beak is longer than the entire length of the bird (i.e. head, neck and torso). Thus, this species of hummingbird turns out to be the longest-billed bird in the world.

They lay two white eggs, which are incubated by one female for 14-19 days. The chicks in the photo of the hummingbird are naked, weak and helpless, they are also fed by one female.

These fragile-looking creatures are the hardiest in the animal kingdom. They are found in very different, often even harsh climates from Alaska to Argentina, from the deserts of Arizona to the coast of Nova Scotia, from the Brazilian selva to the snow line of the Andes. (Interestingly, these birds only live in the New World.)

Hummingbirds are able to hover motionless over a flower almost vertically. This is a unique property. All over the world, only a hawk bird can do this.

This is the only bird species that can fly backwards and to the sides, rise and fall sharply vertically.

During migration, hummingbirds are able to cover a thousand kilometers in less than a day.

Per unit weight, hummingbirds consume about a hundred times more food than elephants.

Plumage - this is where nature has not stinted on colors - bright colors and iridescent shine are inherent in birds. Boys can be distinguished from girls by the original shape of the head and tail feathers. Birds have another feature - their plumage looks different every time. If at first glance the bird may seem greenish in color, then at the second glance the plumage may play with purple hues - this is a feature of light refraction.

The greatest danger to the existence of the smallest birds in the world is a man who destroys wonderful birds for the sake of beautiful feathers. Also, the direct enemies of hummingbirds are the tarantula and tree snakes.

The hummingbird egg is the smallest in the world. The photo shows the largest egg (Epiornis egg), ostrich and the smallest hummingbird egg. This bird is also the smallest bird on the entire planet. It looks more like a dragonfly than a representative of birds. Hummingbirds eat only pollen from flowers.

Hummingbirds are the smallest of all amazing creations and the only ones of all birds that can fly backwards. They belong to the order Swifts. There are more than 350 species living in the Americas. Their habitat is meadows, fields and forests. In general, where there are flowers, they settle there.

Interestingly, hummingbirds are from 5 cm to 22 in length. The smallest weight that can be found in a hummingbird is less than 2 grams. The main difference from other birds is their long thin beak; a forked tongue that can be retracted; completely weak paws, unable to walk. Really amazing birds. In space, they move calmly, this is their better side. Hummingbirds fly head first and tail, can hover in the air for a long time, and a lot more that they are capable of.

The beak of a hummingbird is longer than the body. It has different shapes: either straight, or arched, or completely bent down. The wings are very well developed, this allows them to make different figures. aerobatics in the space mentioned above.

The plumage of birds is also distinguished by its brightness and variety of colors. In the sun, the feathers shimmer and, depending on what angle you look at, you can see a variety of colors on one bird. Because of this, hummingbirds are often compared to precious stones.

Interesting Facts

Small, energetic and fast, like a hummingbird's lightning. Despite their size, they can be the most daring and fearless. Hummingbirds often attack larger birds, especially when the egg opening process begins or so they can defend their territory.
People build huge planes, on the principle of a hummingbird. But how much more maneuverable are these little birds. To cross the ocean, an aircraft needs an experienced and good crew, high-quality navigation instruments and 180,000 hp. fuel. What does this tiny bird need? Only 1 g of fat. In this extremely tiny bird, amazing wisdom is programmed, which the Creator endowed it with.
The hummingbird nest is considered one of the most elegant structures in the world. After all, it really is. A hummingbird's nest can be only 5 cm wide and 1 cm deep. This small house mainly consists of feathers intertwined with cobwebs. In the nests of hummingbirds, 2 or even 3 eggs, similar to each other like pearls, can be populated.

Option 2

Beautiful, fast and the smallest bird in the world is a hummingbird.

There are a lot of species of hummingbirds and there are about 350. Each species differs in size and color, as well as a little physiology. Some species of hummingbirds are so small that they can easily be confused with butterflies and the weight of the hummingbird species is about 2 grams, at a time when the average weight of a hummingbird becomes about 20 grams.

Hummingbirds have many species and names, but there are basic names

flying amethyst
emerald neck
fire topaz
topaz hummingbird

Hummingbird Habitat and Diet

Hummingbirds are very brave and courageous birds, they are not afraid of danger and can protect their chicks from birds several times larger than themselves.

The average duration of a bird is up to 9 years.

The hummingbird lives in North and South America, some species live in Canada. It lives in an area where there are many flowers, as birds feed mainly on nectar from flowers, from which it received the name "feathered bee". Locations can be different, ranging from open grasslands to rainforests.

Hummingbirds feed not only on nectar, but also on small insects and bugs. These birds are very voracious and feed mainly on the fly.

The weight of food that a hummingbird eats per day can exceed its own.

reproduction

Hummingbirds settle in trees, they build their nests from fluff, cobwebs, small twigs and their saliva. The nest usually contains 2 eggs. The female is incubating and feeding the chicks.

The length of the bird is about 2 centimeters
Males a little brighter than females, but females are not inferior to males in bright and colorful outfits
The largest "Giant" hummingbird reaches a length of up to 22cm
Hummingbirds cannot move with their feet, as they are very weak, so they constantly fly.
The heart of a hummingbird occupies a large part of the body, and in a lifetime it contracts twice as much as a human heart for 70 years.
In the "Sword-billed" hummingbird, the length of the beak reaches up to 10 cm, and it is twice as large as the body of the bird.
Incubation of eggs takes about 14-18 days
The speed of the hummingbird develops up to 80 km / h
hummingbird single bird who can fly backwards and upside down

Hummingbird very interesting birds each species has its own characteristics.

The weight of the smallest adult hummingbirds is less than three grams.

2. There are 330 varieties of hummingbirds in the world, and the vast majority are brightly colored birds of very small size.

3. Nature researchers awarded representatives of this family with very beautiful names: “angel hummingbird”, “snow-capped hummingbird”, “coquette hummingbird”, “emerald neck”, “fiery topaz”, “flying amethyst”.

4. There are hummingbirds in a variety of climatic conditions: Arizona, the coast of Nova Scotia, Argentina, even Alaska.

5. At first glance, these birds are very delicate and fragile, however, they are the hardiest in the entire animal world. During migration, hummingbirds are able to cover a thousand kilometers in less than a day.

gigantic hummingbird

6. The largest of the hummingbirds are gigantic hummingbirds, the size of these birds reaches 21 centimeters, and their weight is 20 grams.

7. There are no hummingbirds in Russia, but you can see them with your own eyes in zoos and ornitariums.

8. The only time a hummingbird was found on the territory of the Russian Federation. The ocher hummingbird was discovered in 1976 on Ratmanov Island (Bering Strait).

9. Hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards or upside down.

10. Hummingbirds feed only while in the air.

"Hummingbird-bee"

11. The smallest hummingbird is called the "bee hummingbird", this bird is only 7 centimeters long and weighs 2 grams.

12. Scientists say that hummingbirds are simply made to fly. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that hummingbirds are the best fliers in the world.

13. The speed of the hummingbird's wings is huge - about 50-80 beats per second. But this is not the limit.

14. The speed of a small bird reaches 80 km / h, which is really a lot for such a small creature.

15. Caring for a female, the male of one of the hummingbird species makes more than 200 strokes per second. Acceleration to maximum speed and an instantaneous stop for these birds occurs almost instantly, in just a few seconds.

sword-billed hummingbird

16. The beak of a hummingbird is thin and long, sometimes very long; for example, in the sword-billed hummingbird, the beak is longer than the entire length of the bird (i.e., head, neck and torso). Thus, this species of hummingbird turns out to be the longest-billed bird in the world.

17. The diet of a hummingbird is flower nectar and small insects.

18. To get the right amount of food, hummingbirds use their long beak, which can penetrate deep into the calyx of a flower.

19. Some types of hummingbirds do even more original, piercing the base of the flower with their beak if they cannot get to the nectar in the usual way.

20. For the extraction of nectar, a long tongue is also used, which has a special shape. This shape helps the nectar stay on the tongue when the hummingbird decides to eat. The nectar is captured by the tongue and, thanks to the shape of the tongue, goes directly to the throat.

Ruby-throated hummingbird

21. Ruby-throated hummingbird flies from Canada to Mexico and Panama for wintering. The flight distance is 5000 kilometers.

22. The average flight speed is about 50 kilometers per hour. Not everyone large birds able to withstand such a long and exhausting flight, not to mention small birds.

23. Hummingbirds have a huge, by their standards, heart - it is three times the size of the stomach, and occupies more than a third of the volume of their entire body.

24. The heart of a hummingbird makes 500-1000 beats per minute, and during its life it contracts about 4.5 billion times.

25. There are several times more red blood cells in hummingbirds than in other representatives of birds.

26. Hummingbirds can hover motionless over a flower almost vertically. This is a unique property. All over the world, only a hawk bird can do this.

27. Hummingbirds are superior in the art of flight to the vast majority of birds. Yes, and the structure of the body, the structure of the wings, they differ from all other birds.

28. In order to be able to flap their wings so quickly, hummingbirds must have short and straight bones of the shoulder and forearm. The bones of the wings are strong and light due to the fact that they are hollow.

29. The structure of the hummingbird's wing itself is very rigid due to the fact that a number of joints simply do not move.

30. Their shoulder joints are flexible, so they can move in any direction. They can also rotate about 180 degrees.

31. Nature did not stint on the colors of hummingbirds - birds are characterized by bright colors and iridescent shine.

32. Hummingbirds have an original feature - their plumage looks different every time.

33. If at first glance the bird may seem greenish in color, then at the second glance the plumage may play with purple hues - this is a feature of light refraction. 33. Hummingbirds can fall into a lethargic sleep. During the day, the body temperature of a hummingbird is 39-40 degrees Celsius, and at night, when the ambient temperature drops, the bird falls into a stupor, its body temperature drops to 18 degrees, breathing becomes barely noticeable. Thus, the hummingbird reduces energy consumption. And with the onset of morning and an increase in air temperature, the hummingbird returns to its usual state.

34. The emblem of the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago depicts a hummingbird.

35. During the "flying in place" hummingbirds have to write out a figure eight with their wings. Thanks to this, the bird is kept in the air in an upright position.

36. Male hummingbirds from females can be distinguished by the original shape of the feathers of the head and tail.

37. Most species of hummingbirds nest on trees and bushes; some species, like swifts, stick their nests to rocks or leaves with saliva.

38. The hummingbird builds very skillfully nests from plant fluff, blades of grass, etc., and attach lichens, moss, etc. to them. Nests are hung on branches or ends of leaves.

39. The direct enemies of hummingbirds are tarantulas and tree snakes.

40. To provide your body with enough energy, a number of species of hummingbirds must eat very often - every 10-20 minutes.

41. These little birds never form a pair. Responsibilities for family affairs fall entirely on the "shoulders" of the female.

42. A female hummingbird builds a nest herself. Then she, as a rule, lays two eggs and very rarely one. The hummingbird egg is the smallest in the world. One female also incubates the eggs for 14-19 days.

43. Hummingbird chicks are naked, weak and helpless, they are also fed by one female.

44. Birds can fly in the rain - this is necessary for their survival. If hummingbirds could not fly in the rain, it would endanger the survival of a number of species.

45. Per unit weight, hummingbirds consume about a hundred times more food than elephants.

46. Watching these babies is a great pleasure. But it is very difficult to “catch” them with a glance on the branches - hummingbirds are constantly on the move.

47. The longest recorded lifespan of a hummingbird is 17 years, but on average they live less, about 9 years.

48. On a day, a hummingbird consumes more food than its own weight.

49. In a hummingbird, the mass of the muscles of the wings is about 40% of the total body weight.

50. To provide muscles with oxygen during the flight, oxygen is also needed. Hummingbirds get it thanks to a developed respiratory system, which includes 9 air sacs.