The Amazing Hummingbird

by Diane Winebar • photos by Ken Tapp

The smallest birds in the world don’t live in some far-away place. If your yard has flowers in it, there’s a good chance hummingbirds will visit you right where you live!

These birds are so little, they could use a cupped leaf as a bird bath. Their nests are the size of half a walnut shell. Are you surprised? Eggs the size of jellybeans don’t need a lot of space, you see. Grown hummingbirds can weigh less than a nickel. Incredible!

As little as they are, hummingbirds do things other birds can’t. They can fly forward, backward, up, down, and sideways. They even fly in place. Their wings flap up to 200 times per second. That’s so fast, your eyes can’t follow the movement. Can you guess how these birds got their name? Right! Their wings beat so rapidly, they make a humming sound. These little dynamos seem to always be moving. Even their tiny hearts are busy, beating up to 1000 times a minute. Sugary nectar gives them the energy they need. A hummingbird darts from flower to flower until it finds one with nectar. It reaches deep into the flower with its skinny bill. Then it laps up the nectar with its long tongue. When drinking, they move their wings extra fast, forward and backward, in a repeated figure eight motion. This lets them hover in midair long enough to gather all the nectar they need. Hummingbirds are drawn to bright colors, and they can even see colors that humans can’t. When spring comes, think like a hummingbird. Plant zinnias, petunias, and other flowers that attract them. Or put out a red hummingbird feeder. You’ll get a thrill watching your energetic little visitors! 22