Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world. They are extremely tiny birds weighing, roughly two to twenty grams. The females are larger than the males. According to World Of Hummingbirds.com the smallest hummingbird species in the world is the Cuban Bee Hummingbird, it measures five to six cm in length and weighs a mere two- two and a half grams. In the U.S., most species are three to three and a half inches in length.

Even though they are the smallest birds in the world, they have the fastest wings beats of any other bird. Hummingbirds beat their wings over one thousand times a minute. The rapid flapping of the wings makes a humming noise, which is where their name comes from. They can fly an average of twenty-five to thirty miles per hour, and dive up to sixty miles per hour. Hummingbird’s wings are relatively long and pointed, usually having short arms and forearms but long hands. They have over nine-hundred features, but they have ten primary feathers on their wings used for flight (www.worldofhummingbirds.com). These speed demons can fly at speeds up to sixty mph and are the only birds capable of flying backwards, this ability makes them so unique.

In addition to their speed is their amazing flight control, they possess a remarkable ability for incredible acrobatic flight and the ability to hover, as if suspended in the midair. When hovering they can fly backwards, as well as up or down, what an astonishing task! The secret of these flight patterns is their ability to rotate their shoulder joint to which the wing attaches, with little or no flexing of the wrist and hand joints. The shoulder and wing joint can move in all directions, and rotate about one hundred-eighty degrees, or in a circle. The upper arm and fore...

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...ls in West Virginia. Hummingbirds can live for more than ten years, their average life span of about five years, but most die in the first year of life. (West Virginia Wildlife Magazine)

If you have a hummingbird feeder are is considering getting one there are a few things to keep in mind. The sugar water mix should be one part white granulated sugars to four parts hot water; which will help the sugar dissolve. Let the mixture cool before placing in the feeder. Do not use honey, juice, artificial sweetener or brown sugar. Even though they are attracted to the color red, never use red food coloring, this could be harmful to them. Changing the nectar twice a week, especially in the summer months when it can quickly spoil, if it’s cloudy it’s spoiled, get rid of it. Clean the feeders with a mild bleach solution, regularly to prevent mold.

In conclusion hummingbirds