Hummingbirds are so tiny and fragile. When you see these little birds you cannot help but wonder how they manage to fly in the wind or survive the storms.
The little winged creatures actually come in different sizes and color formations. There are more than 300 known species of hummingbirds.
Let’s see what else we can discover about them.
How Much Does A Hummingbird Weigh?
Hummingbird sizes vary. The largest of these birds will weigh as much as 0.85 ounces and grow to be 8 inches in length.
The smallest of them weighs about 0.01 of an ounce and measures only 2 inches in length.
In comparison the typical hummingbird weighs about as much as a single penny.
The Calliuope
This species of hummingbird have red and white streaked throats and they live mainly in Mexico and North America.
They grow to be 3 ¼ inches in length and may weigh 0.02 ounces.
They fly up to 5,000 miles each year migrating to the warmer areas and then back.
Speed
These little creatures make up for their small size by being incredibly fast! They can flap their little wings between 50 and 200 times per second.
They can reach speeds of 30 mph when they are flying in a straight line. When they decide to dive-bomb another bird they can reach speeds twice that fast!
These creatures take over 250 breaths per minute.
They can visit up to 1000 flowers in a 24-hour period of time.
They actually eat about once every ten minutes. They are highly active so they quickly burn up the calories they consume and have to replenish.
In just 24 hours one of these tiny creatures can starve to death.
To survive the night without eating every ten minutes they slow their heart rates and go into a tupor state.
Fierce
They may be small but they are not timid.
You have probably seen them fighting each other to keep other hummers away from their favorite feeder or flowers. What you may not have seen is these tiny little warriors attacking larger birds.
These micro-sized fighters have been seen attacking hawks and crows to defend their nests and their food sources.
Their Diet
You know they love nectar and the feeding formulas of sugar water that people set out for them, but this is not the only thing these little birds eat.
Other Things on The Hummingbird Diet Plan Include:
- Insects
- Larvae
- Insect eggs
- Small spiders
- Tree sap
- Pollen
- Ashes
- Sand
- Fruit like oranges, apples, and pears that are very ripe
Small Beginnings
In the tiny little nests, the birds lay eggs that are no longer than ½ an inch.
These little eggs are smaller than the average jelly bean. They are about one-tenth of the mother bird’s weight.
Did You Know?
- On average the female birds have longer bills than the males do.
- They put large amounts of spider webs in their nests
- These birds do not mate for life like some species of birds. The females are single moms who build a nest and care for the young hatchlings without any assistance from the father.
- Hummingbirds do not just drink nectar, they also like to drink water
- They cannot walk or hop like other birds
- They use their feet to scratch and to preen their feathers, as well as to hold onto branches
- They have the fewest number of feathers of any bird species. They have only about 900 feathers.
- They have broad chest muscles
- They can see very well but they cannot smell
FAQs
How Many Hummingbirds Would It Take to Make A Pound?
You would need about 150 of these winged creatures to make up a pound.
How Much Does A Hummingbird Drink Each Day?
These birds consume between one-half and eight times their body weight each day.
Why Can’t Hummingbirds Have Honey Water?
When the honey ferments it develops a deadly bacteria that is toxic to the birds.