There are many species of birds in the world. But among them there is one that not only stands out for its beauty, but also differs in miniature size. Of course we are talking about hummingbirds.

Description of the exotic bird

Hummingbird belongs to the order Swift-like. In nature, there are more than 340 species of this unusually beautiful bird. All of them differ in size, color, length of the beak, and even manner of behavior.

The smallest bird in the world is a hummingbird-bee. Its length varies between 5 - 7 cm. And its weight is very tiny - 2 g. Many insects are larger than this bird, for example, a bumblebee.

Hummingbird-bee loves the hot climate. Therefore, it lives only in Cuba.

Speaking of the smallest form, one cannot but mention the largest bird of this family. This is a gigantic hummingbird. Among other birds of his family, he is considered a real "giant." Bird length - 21 cm, weight 20 g.

Considering different types of hummingbirds, you can find obvious similarities between them:

  1. The beak is quite long and thin.
  2. There is a forked tongue that resembles a serpentine outwardly. Thanks to him, the bird can drink flower nectar.
  3. The wings are small, while strong enough. Hummingbirds have 9 fly feathers and 6 small feathers, which are almost invisible during flight.
  4. Paws are rather weak, short, with long claws. That is why the bird practically does not walk on the ground, and prefers to spend most of the time in the air.
  5. Hummingbird coloration is very bright, feathers shimmer in the sun. Males are more effective and more beautiful than females. Some species have funny, rather original crests.
  6. The tail is large, consists of 8 to 10 feathers.

Despite its beauty, a hummingbird is not a songbird. Only some species can be tweeted quietly.

Where hummingbirds live

Hummingbirds can only be seen in North and South America. At the same time, they choose an area rich in fields, meadows. Birds love moist equatorial forests.

Habitats only where there are glades with fresh flowers, and nearby - mountains or hills.

Lifestyle and habits

Hummingbird is an unusual and wayward bird. Experts note that she has a rather fervent character. Despite this, the birds are not from a timid dozen. This is especially noticeable at a time when the chicks are in danger from other birds.

Hummingbirds fearlessly engages with the enemy, even if he is much larger than her in size. And often the battle wins, thanks to the sharp beak and quick flight.

Hummingbirds rarely live in packs. Rather, these are selfish birds. They do not always know how to get along peacefully with each other, so they prefer loneliness.

  • The offspring is exclusively occupied by the female. She builds a small nest of moss, fluff, blades of grass. Some species of hummingbirds make nests directly on the rock, gluing their structures with the help of saliva.
  • After fertilization, the female lays several eggs. And hatch them for 2 or 3 weeks. Birds are born tiny, weak, without plumage. The female's task is not only to protect the chicks, but also to feed them independently.
  • The enemies of hummingbirds are tarantulas and snakes. But they manage to catch a healthy bird very rarely.
  • Man is not dangerous to birds. Many even plant flowers in their gardens that hummingbirds like, and also pour sweetened syrups and water with honey into bowls. That is why birds often make nests near houses.

Despite this, it was the man who had a hand in the fact that 2 species of hummingbird had already completely disappeared. This leads to massive deforestation, the extermination of the animal world.

Power Features

Since hummingbirds spend most of their lives in flight, they need to eat actively.

A bird eats 2 times more per day than the weight of its own body. At the same time, the digestion process is so established that the stomach digests the food without any problems.

Hummingbirds mainly feed on flower nectar. As it flies to the bud, it seems to freeze in the air. The beak plunges into the middle of the flower, opens slightly, and with the help of a tubular tongue, the bird produces nectar.

In addition, the bird can eat small insects, as well as larvae that are on the plant.

What causes hummingbird humming

The size of the hummingbird is so small that a person can not always see it. But during the flight a characteristic buzzing is heard - it is the wings of a bird. Experts say that more than 50 wing strokes occur per second. And this is only when the bird prepares to eat and freezes in the air.

But in flight, the number of flapping wings increases to 200. The bird can accelerate to 100 km / h. So what makes a buzz? This is the friction of the wings against the air.

In addition, the hummingbird can fly unusually: sideways, forward, backward. Experts say that in nature there is not a single species of bird that could repeat such “tricks”.

Interesting facts about a small bird

Hummingbirds are so original and unusual that ornithologists with pleasure study this family of birds and give out new, interesting facts about them:

  1. The bird has a big heart. In a calm state, it makes up to 500 beats per minute, but during exercise this indicator increases to 1500.
  2. The heart is the largest internal organ in hummingbirds. It occupies more than a third of her body.
  3. Birds live on average 8 - 9 years, but there is also a world record - 17 years.
  4. Hummingbirds can perform aerobatics in flight, for example, fly upside down.
  5. If the bird migrates, then it overcomes more than a thousand kilometers in a day. At the same time, it stops only in order to eat.
  6. The bird does not take root in captivity and quickly dies.For her, the main thing is space and constant flight.
  7. During the day, the body temperature of the bird reaches almost 40 degrees, and at night it can drop to 20 on its own.

Hummingbird is an unusual little bird. Many ornithologists compare its color with precious stones (emeralds, rubies, sapphires). The peculiarity of the color is that the feathers can change their shades in the sun.

Despite the fact that hummingbirds can be found only in America, the uniqueness of this tiny bird is known throughout the world.

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