Hummingbirds - General Information

Hummingbirds - An Amazing Flight

Picture source: Dan True Books © Dan True

The Hummingbird is well equipped for that. Unlike other birds whose wings are made up of hand bones, the Hummingbird's wing is made up of arm bones. This enables the Hummingbird to fly in any possible direction including flying sideways, backwards, and upside down. It is no wonder that flying is incredibly energy consuming and that the Hummingbird has to refill themselves up with energy.

Hummingbirds - Metabolism

Hummingbirds have unusually large hearts that make about 300 beats per minute when the bird is at rest and about 500-1200 beats per minute when the bird is active. The large heart, which pumps so hard the red blood cell enriched blood, helps to deliver oxygen and necessary foods to the Hummingbird tissues.

At night, when the temperature goes down, Hummingbirds bristle feathers to let the body heat out and sit quietly on a branch with their bills down. The heart rate also goes down, which is known as "torpor," a sort of hibernation. Hummingbirds that live in deserts also may become torpid to slow breathing and retain moisture.

Picture source: Costa's Hummingbird Nests In Ridgecrest

Hummingbirds - General Information Links

Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) - Photos plus facts about this bird's migration status, range, and identifying characteristics. Includes a range map.

Animal Diversity Web - Black-chinned Hummingbird - Learn about this bird's classification and view photos. Read about its food habits, reproduction, and habitat.

Animal Diversity Web - Long-tailed Hermit - Furnishes details about this bird's food habits, reproduction, and behavior. Also includes a sound file.

Animal Diversity Web - Lucifer Hummingbird - Provides facts about this bird's physical characteristics, habitat, diet, and breeding.

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) - Illustration of male and female, sound file, and description of this bird's seasonal movements and nesting.

Bird of the Week - Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Touches on the role of Hummingbird's in flowering plant evolution and tells of the species long migration. Provides a color illustration of a hovering male.

Bird of the Week - Rufous Hummingbird - Reports on the colorful species' long migration to and from Mexico to as far north as Canada. Gives details of its courtship.

Black-Chinned Hummingbirds - Description, range, predator and prey, and information on habits and habitat.

Essortment.com - Find out about Hummingbirds! - Learn why they change colors, their feeding habits, and migration destination.

Florida's Hummingbirds - Agricultural department gives advice on how to construct an area attractive to the small birds. See the creature's flying tricks and features.

Hummingbird Guide - The Hummingbird may be the smallest of birds, but it is also the most fascinating.

Hummingbird Highlights - Discover migration facts, gardening directions, feeder care and placement ideas, craft projects, FAQ, reader Q & A, photographs, simple visual anatomy guide and how to care for injured birds.

Picture source: Dan True Books © Dan True

Hummingbird Scavenger Hunt - FAQs about the Hummingbird.

Hummingbirds: Frantic and Fascinating - Article by Terry Dunn.

MSN Encarta - Hummingbirds - Overview of this bird provides a physical description and details on its unique flying capabilities. Find related resource links.

Natural History - Singing in the Brain - Discover an article published in October 2000 that explains how Hummingbirds learn to sing. Located at FindArticles.com.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Species account from the Birds of North America.

Rufous Humming Bird - Description, distribution, and biology of the species.

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) - Photos, identification tips, range maps, and taxonomy chart.

Science News - Botanical 'Velcro' Entraps Hummingbirds - Reports an instance in which Hummingbirds were found entangled by burrs in a Washington, DC park in 1998. Provided by FindArticles.com.

Science News - Who's on First With Hummingbird Bills - Researchers report their findings regarding a study of the bill lengths in Hummingbirds.

The Hummingbird - It is hard to believe that birds are descended from dinosaurs especially the tiny Hummingbird. However, more and more scientists are beginning to believe that it is true.

The Hummingbird Web Site - Articles on Hummingbird gardening and biology. Visit the photo gallery, view classified section and check out the conservation alerts.

US Geological Survey - Anna's Hummingbird - View a map showing the red birds' winter and summer distributions. It lists the species' identifying characteristics and diet, as well.

US Geological Survey - White-eared Hummingbird - Government site provides a photograph of the dark ave, plus a family tree and a list of features to aid bird-watchers with identification.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Allen's Hummingbird - Learn how to distinguish this bird from other species. View photos, examine range maps, and read about this bird's nesting and diet.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Broad-billed Hummingbird - Learn how to distinguish the male and female of this species. See photos and read about this bird's breeding habitat and diet.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Broad-tailed Hummingbird - Presents a range map and photo of this bird. Read about its diet, breeding, and habitat.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Buff-bellied Hummingbird - Learn how to distinguish this species from others. View a photo, learn identification tips, and read about this bird's migration status and habitat.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Calliope Hummingbird - Learn identification tips and the taxonomy of this bird. Provides photos and facts about its breeding and habitat.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Costa's Hummingbird - Offers a photo and range maps for this species. Browse facts on its diet, migration status, and habitat.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Lucifer Hummingbird - Provides identification tips for the male and female of this species. Learn about its diet, migration status, and taxonomy.

Picture source: Costa's Hummingbird Nests In Ridgecrest

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Magnificent Hummingbird - Read about this species' habitat, migration status, identifying traits, and taxonomy. Also provides photographs.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Rufous Hummingbird - Provides a breeding bird survey map and CBC map. Includes photos and identification tips.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Ctr - Black-chinned Hummingbird - View a range map and photos of this bird. Read facts about its habitat, breeding, and diet.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Ctr - Blue-throated Hummingbird - Learn to identify this bird using a photo and ID tips. Read about its taxonomy, migration status, and habitat.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Ctr - Violet-crowned Hummingbird - Learn identification tips and the taxonomy of this bird. Read about its habitat and diet and view a photo.

Wildlife With Specialized Needs - Hummingbirds - Hummingbird babies need a special protein formula the rehabilitators order from a company that has researched their diet.

Winter Hummingbirds of Southwest Louisiana - Close-up photographs and notes by Hummingbird bander Dave Patton.

Hummingbirds - Other Hummingbirds sites

Hummingbirds Pictures - Hummingbirds populate both American continents, and can be found in every place from Brazil and Argentina and through to Canada and Alaska. There are as many as 350 species of hummingbirds, which reside in the jungle, deserts, temperate woods and grassfields, and even in towns and cities. This tiny bird belongs to the family, Trochilidae, and it has been a matter of particular interest for scientists ever since the times of man's first encounters with it.

Native Americans extolled and worshiped the bird. Mayan aborigines believed that the hummingbird was the incarnation of the sun. Ancient Aztecs believed that Huitzilopochtli, the mightiest god, had sprung from a hummingbird feather ball that had descended from heaven.

Hummingbirds Pictures - Hummingbirds are enigmatic and wonderful creations of the world. They live in the western hemisphere. The image of the hummingbird was firmly imprinted in the minds of Indians and other Native American tribes, who believed that hummingbirds were sent to the earth by gods to guard people against evil spirits. Ancient Aztecs even believed that their most powerful god had come out of a hummingbird feather ball that had come down from the sky.

For modern people this miniature dashing speedster of a bird is also a wonder. The plumage has the remarkable property of changing color in various ways at various angulations of the falling sunlight. These are the only birds that can fly in uncountable numbers of manners. Have you ever seen a bird that can fly sideways, backwards, upwards or even upside down? They even have the ability to stay aloft in the air without moving in the space.

Hummingbirds Photos - Hummingbirds are believed to have appeared in northern Andes Mountains of South America. There are facts indicating that the hummingbird sprung from the swift, although not all scientists share this point of view. They live only in the western hemisphere and they mostly tend to concentrate in equatorial regions. However, hummingbirds occur in every part of the continental North America, except maybe within the polar areas.

Native American tribes viewed them as messengers of gods. They even ascribed the advent of a god to hummingbirds. Thus, Huitzilopochtli, one of the Aztec war gods, was believed to have magically come out of a hummingbird feather ball. Hummingbirds were also attached to the war god due to their aggressive behavior.