This week it’s all about hummingbirds...
- Depending on the direction of flight and on air conditions, a hummingbird’s wings will flap 70 – 80 times per second. (
W-o-w!)
- The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world, weighing about 0.06 ounces and measuring about two inches long.
- 4,700 bee hummingbird eggs can fit inside one ostrich egg.
- The sword-billed hummingbird’s bill is longer than its body.
- A hummingbird’s tongue is bifurcated (split in two).
- Hummingbirds do not suck in nectar through their beaks; they lick it with their (bifurcated) tongues.
- Hummingbirds travel at an average speed of 25 miles per hour. That speed can climb up to 60 miles per hour in a dive. (
Fast little critters, no?)
- There are between 325 and 340 species of hummingbird.
- The heartbeat of the blue-throated hummingbird has been measured at 1,260 beats per minute.
- Hummingbird eggs are the smallest amongst all birds; they weigh less than 1/55th of an ounce and are ½ inch long and 1/3 inch wide.
- The eggs hatch anywhere from 14 – 19 days.

- The rufous hummingbird will migrate 3,000 miles to get to Mexico from Alaska and areas in Canada. (
Heck, who can blame them? I’d travel that far to get away from northern winters, too.)
- In a single day, a hummingbird will consume up to half of its weight in sugar, and will feed 5 – 8 times per hour. (
And the little buggers are still so thin! Wish I had a metabolism like that. Imagine how much ice cream I could have and never gain an ounce of weight.)
- A hummingbird’s metabolism is very fast; these little birds are always just hours away from starving to death if they don’t get enough food. (
On second thought, I’m not sure a metabolism like that is such a good idea!)
- To satisfy their insatiable appetite, hummingbirds may visit 1,000 flowers a day.
- Hummingbirds, like bees, are able to assess the amount of sugar in nectar, and will reject flowers that produce nectar that is less than 10% sugar.
- Because nectar is a poor source of nutrients, hummingbirds meet their protein needs by preying on insects and spiders, especially when they’re raising their young.
- Like most birds, hummingbirds have very keen eyesight but no sense of smell.
- Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly in any direction they choose: forward, backwards, straight up or down, and sideways. They can also hover in mid air and fly upside down for short distances.
- The average lifespan of these tiny birds is between 3 and 4 years. Some hummingbirds have lived as long as 12 years in the wild (this is discovered from banding them).
- A hummingbird’s heart will beat about 1,200 beats per minute.
- Hummingbirds slow their metabolism at night by entering a hibernation-type state called torpor. During this period, the heart rate and rate of breathing slow down dramatically; this reduces the need for food. They also tend to enter this state when food is scarce.
- The hummingbird is small enough to have the Praying Mantis as an enemy. (
This I find sad because I like them both.)
- The heart of a hummingbird is 2.4 percent of its body weight; the largest known relative heart size of any other bird.
- While resting, a hummingbird will take in about 250 breaths per minute.
- They may be small, but hummingbirds are extremely territorial and aggressive. They are known to attack jays, crows and hawks to protect their territories.
And they’re so darn adorable, too...