Facts About Hummingbirds You Never Knew

Hummingbirds may look small, but they are incredibly fast, and their feathers are brilliant. You may have seen many of them near your home or water feeders where they love to drink. So, if you are looking to know more about hummingbirds, you have come to the right place.

Here are the top facts about hummingbirds we bet you never knew.

They Are Long-Distance Migrants

The Rufous hummingbirds migrate further than any other North American species you will find. That is because these birds travel four-thousand miles from Mexico to Alaska every year during the spring season. Besides that, many of these hummingbirds with ruby-throats spend these cold months in Northern Panama and Southern Mexico.

They Are Solitary Migrants

Yes, most birds like to migrate with their own kind, but hummingbirds are solitary migrants. You will never see them traveling and migrating in a flock. Besides that, the wintering grounds of hummingbirds vary between species. So, no matter where you live, you must keep feeders up to offer them nutrition.

They Use Spider Webs To Build Their Nests

It takes a hummingbird at least five to seven days to build a nest for itself. Only the female hummingbirds build the best, and they use various items to fulfill this aim. That includes spiderwebs, moss, lichen, and more.

Some Hummingbirds Can Sing

While hummingbirds are not songbirds, some of them can still sing. For example, some species, such as the male Costa's and Anna's, are singers, and they do this near a food source. However, other species of hummingbirds only make aggressive calls that will resemble a squealing or chattering sound.

They Are Territorial

While hummingbirds may be small, they are one of the most territorial birds you will find. That is because they will do anything to protect their food sources, such as feeders and flowers. Most of their time is spent chasing other birds away. So, if you are hanging a water feeder for them, be sure to do it in a quiet place where other birds don't bother the hummingbirds.

Their Nests Are Small

You have probably seen the nest of a crow, eagle, or other bird, but we bet you haven’t seen the nest of a hummingbird. Even if you have, we are sure you can’t identify it because of its size. That is because the average nest size of a hummingbird is half the size of a dollar coin. If you ever take a look inside the tiny nest, the eggs will look like white jelly beans to you.

There Are Hundreds Of Species Of This Bird

Hummingbirds come in over 340 species, and they can live anywhere from South America to Alaska. The most interesting part is that only fifteen types of all the species are regularly found in the U.S. Many of them are spread across the world and come in endless colors that you will love.

Their Color Arrangement Varies Immensely

Hummingbirds come in many colors, and their arrangement varies tremendously between each species. Even in the handful of species that are in the U.S, the color varieties are endless and impressive. For example, the male Allen and Rufous hummingbirds have orange throats that can also look blazing red in the sun.

Besides that, the male Anna hummingbirds have an iridescent magenta crown, face, and throat. Finally, the Costa hummingbird has a head that is an incredibly royal purple. Of course, these are just some color varieties, as you will find many other interesting ones across the world.

They have Incredible Visual Acuity

Most people don't know about hummingbirds because they see color even better than humans. That is because their vision extends to the UV spectrum. So, their eyes can easily view warm shades better than cool shades.

Because of this, they can easily pick out colors, such as red, yellow, and orange. On the other hand, this visual acuity has led scientists to learn that to the hummingbirds, the richness of nectar matters more than the source of the color. So, with the right colors and feeders, you can attract them to your yard.

Their Breaths Are Super Quick

Even while the hummingbirds are resting, they take 150 breaths in a minute. That is the average breath of a four-inch hummingbird. Of course, their breaths per minute increase even further while they are moving about.

They Beat Their Wings More Than Fifty Times In One Second

Hummingbirds are one of the fastest and most agile birds you will find. They easily beat their wings more than fifty times in a second. When they are in extreme flight mode, they can beat their wings even faster as they need to getaway.

Final Words

These are the top eleven facts about hummingbirds we bet you never knew before. These birds are beautiful, fast, and come in endless colors and varieties. If you want to attract them to your home, be sure to keep a water feeder out so they can come to your home.