What are hummingbirds? Hummingbirds are birds from the Americas that make up the family of Trochilidae. Trochilidae is the scientific name for these birds and are among the smallest of birds with lifespan of three to five years. Hummingbirds are also very colorful birds with iridescent feathers. The colors they have are blue, green, yellow, and pink. The name ‘hummingbird’ comes from the fact that their wings flap so fast, that it makes a humming noise. These magnificent birds can fly right, left, up, down, backwards and upside down and they also hover by flapping their wings in a figure eight pattern. The Hummingbirds feet are not used for hopping or walking, but perching. Hummingbirds are basically like bees, going around and sucking the nectar from flowers with their long, skinny beaks. They mainly eat flower nectar, tree sap, insects and pollen. Also, their long tongues help them lick their food at a rate of thirteen licks per second. Hummingbirds weigh 0.08 to 0 .7 ounces and they are 1.75 to 1.8 inches in length. Female hummingbirds lay between one to three eggs and gestation takes from thirteen to twenty-two days. The young hummingbirds start flying with in eighteen to thirty days. …show more content…
Habitat loss and destruction are their main threats for these birds. The earth's changing temperatures due to climate change are also affecting their migratory patterns, causing different species to be spotted in locations well outside their normal range, where it may be harder for them to find food.
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds
· “The Giant hummingbird beats its wings twelve times per second, but the wings of smaller varieties beat up to 50 times per second”.
· “The hummingbird's distinctive features are its long beak, vibrantly-colored plumage, and the humming sound”.
· The Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the