>>:::<<
astonishing feats
delivered with stylish poise
hummingbird flight
>>:::<<
I’ve spent more time recently watching hummingbirds. I’m amazed by the extent of power and stamina in such a small creature, and their constant, gracefulness. Even the quick movements, fighting, and threat displays seem to maintain unbroken elegance.
Some basic information about hummingbirds:
- They are the tiniest birds in the world
- More than 300 types of hummingbirds exist
- Their brains are proportionately the largest in the bird kingdom
- Have an average heart rate above 1,200 beats per minute
- Are one of most aggressive bird species
- Are the only birds that can fly backwards and upside down
- Can move instantaneously in any direction
- Flap their wings in the shape of a figure eight (infinity symbol)
- Are built for power – 30% of their weight consists of flight muscles
- Flight speed can average 25-30 mph and can dive up to 60 mph
- Have weak feet and do not walk or hop
- May have to visit 1,000 flowers each day for fuel
- Eat insects and spiders for protein
- Need to consume about ½ its weight in sugar daily
- Females are usually larger than the males
- Males are not involved in raising young
- Migrate alone rather in flocks
- Some migrate impressive distances – up to 500 miles nonstop over the Gulf of Mexico, which would require almost doubling their weight before migration
- Rufous hummingbirds have the longest migration of any hummingbird species, traveling over 3,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska
This is for the letter “G” Story Challenge by Frizztext, to share a short story or reflection, even an aphorism using a word tagged with each letter of the alphabet.
Also linking up with:
WINDOWS ON WILDLIFE
TUESDAY TIPS AND PICS
WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY
NATURE NOTES
RURAL THURSDAY
BIRD D’POT
CAMERA CRITTERS
WEEKLY TOP SHOT
References:
- http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/a/hummingbirdfacts.htm
- http://animal.discovery.com/birds/hummingbird/
- http://www.hummingbirds.net/migration.html
- http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/migration.php
- http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/facts.php
- http://www.humming-birds.com/facts.html
Creativity Aroused 
not only beautiful but informative post, I love these little guys, they come to my mothers feeders daily and taunt one another for a sip of sugar water (~_~)
Thank you, Art! They are quite aggressive, but still very cute and amusing.
super post with an awesome picture, well done fergie, i love to read about these amazing little birds!
Thank you! They are fascinating little birds with an impressive migration route and stamina.
Great photo! As a camera newbie, I’ve been trying to take some hummingbird photos of my own but can’t get my camera to focus on their speedy wings! Would love to know more details on how you got this shot!
Hi loriography! Thanks for your visit and nice comment. I have practiced a LOT and am continually practicing, but I focused on the bird on the feeder since it wasn’t moving around as much. I often use continuous shooting with birds after I’ve focused on one. Usually the other birds in my photo end up blurred, but I got lucky on this one. I was pleased they both came out clear.
cool shot!!!
Thanks, Stephen!
Incredible shot! I just feel lucky to be your follower! Thank you so much for sharing the information!
Ohhhh, how very sweet of you!! What a nice thing to say, Amy. Thank you much!
An amazing photo. It’s hard to capture a hummingbird in flight but you did an excellent job with both birds in focus while everything else blurred. Your information was great and I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Thank you so much, Francine! Yes, it is very difficult, but I just keep practicing. Very lucky, too.
They are fascinating birds.
they rock and so do your shots!!
Wow, thanks so much buckwheat!
you’re very welcome!
These are even beyond better than my favorite post of yours when I featured you.
Wow, such a wonderful compliment! It was such a nice surprise when you featured my post. Thank you, Rommel!
Great photo of amazing little birds.
Thank you, Mick!
I love hummingbirds!
I do, too! Thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful shot, capturing two of them! They are amazing little birds.
Thank you so much, Pat! That’s such a nice compliment coming from a great bird photographer as yourself. Yes, they are amazing.
I am so amazed at your ability to capture hummingbirds in photos, given how swift their movements are! They are amazing little creatures, aren’t they?
Thanks for linking up with Windows on Wildlife this week!
Thank you so much! I’ve practiced a lot and they give me a good challenge. Yes, they are amazing and fascinating birds.
great statistics on this amazing little bird.Like the photo.
Thank you much, Jane! So glad you liked it!
Wow – what amazing shots of these beautiful birds. I’d love to see one in real life!
Oh, wow, I hope you do see one in real life. There are several here that fight over the feeders. Thanks so much for your nice compliment!
This is such a good photo, we have similar birds here, tiny little creatures. i can never capture them
They are quite a challenge for sure! At first I couldn’t get any photo that was in focus, but with lots of practice, I’m getting more that are clear. Thanks for the nice comment!
Just great…
Thank you, David!!
I love hummingbirds. Not only are they beautiful, but my grandmother loved them so much and they always remind me of her. She was a wonderful lady! Thanks!
How sweet and special that they remind you of your Grandma! Is this the Grandma you visited in SLC? Thanks so much for your comment!
Lovely shots of the hummingbird.
Thank you so much, Eileen!
Great shots… You are amazing. Thank you, love, nia
Nia, you are always so very kind! Thank you so much!
Oh, yes they really are so graceful and elegant!
…you’ve captured that so well both in image and words.
Beautiful!
Thank you so much, Marina! Your comments are always so lovely and kind!
Such an exquisite shot — very nicely captured 🙂
Thank you so much! Glad to see you back!
This is a geographical photo of class… what a capture…
Thank you so much, Bulldog! That means a lot coming from such a great wildlife photographer like you.
How nice! and they are really informative and educational.
Thank you, Cocomino! They are such amazing little birds.
What a great post about a great bird. I’m still amazed that you have these as yard birds!! WOW.
Stewart M – Australia
PS: Thanks for being part of WBW
Thank you! Yes, there are several around this year. We are fortunate to have these cute and beautiful birds here.
Beautiful and absolutely amazing.
I think this is the best shot of hummingbirds I’ve seen on any blog or photographic forum I follow.
Well done !
Wow, that is such a wonderful compliment, Victoria! Thank you sooooo much! It’s fun to try and photograph them, and I welcome the challenge. They are amusing little creatures.
Beautiful photograph and a very interesting set of facts. Flying upside down? They really are adaptable.
Thank you Meanderer! Yes, flying upside down. Sounds like they could be the best acrobats of the bird world with all their unique talents.
Beautifully captured, Fergie! Love how you showed the movement of the wings!
Thank you so much, Gracie!
yes, gracefulness = birds: O.K. – greetings by my cat with a shy meow!
Oh, that’s so sweet, Frizz – a shy meow! Thank you!
I love to sit and watch them..they are so amazing and to think of that migration..reminds me I need to clean and refill the feeders..they only last 4 days in this heat before getting moldy…Michelle
Yes, I could watch them for a long time. They are very meditative. There are so many of them that they empty the feeders within a couple of days. They will need to bulk up for that long migration.
A really lovely shot, I can’t imagine how you got both birds in focus!
Thanks, Gilly!! It was mostly luck, and a very pleasant surprise when I saw the results.
Great shots!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Thank you!!
very beautiful
Thanks so much, Polly!
GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY…. & VERY INFORMATIVE TOO… THANKS
ROSE
Thanks for the nice comment and for visiting!
Amazing photos , i have the birds in real life in Canada ,greetings Nette in Finland
Thank you for the nice comment and for visiting from Finland!
Indeed, hummingbirds are pure gracefulness! Such tiny feathered helipcopters air-lifting us into joy upon each sighting.
Lovely comment, Rose! Thanks so much!
oh wow, amazing shot! your focus is perfect!
Wow, perfect? Thanks so much!
Grandiose, always waited for a hummingbird to shoot a picture and fail. For you a double salute you for this shot is great.
Thank you very much, Cruz! They are a huge challenge to photograph, but fun to keep trying. Thanks for the double salute.
Thought the Haiku and the image were equally astonishing 🙂
Wow, thank you Madhu! I really appreciate that.
Terrific photo Fergie and I’m glad you included the fascinating facts about those amazing birds!
Thanks so much, David! Yes, the facts are amazing.
They are so graceful looking, they certainly mask their aggressiveness well 🙂 Lovely photo and haiku!
Thank you so much, Marina! Yes, such a big punch of aggressiveness in a small beautiful package.
Wonderful post with great photo, a lovely poem and lots of educational information. Very enjoyable.
Thank you very much, Paula!
An amazing picture! And fab post.
Just checking in – can’t type much yet though! 🙂
Christine xx
I was wondering about you, Christine. I’m so glad you checked in. Thanks much for the nice comment, and wishing you continued healing. Rest those hands. The blogging world will still be here when you heal.
Fabulous capture. The hummers are now coming to our feeders as well after being away for most of the summer.
Thank you, Nancy! Glad they are visiting you. I just love seeing them buzz around the feeders.
Amazing hummingbirds. Thanks for sharing these facts. Such a fascinating, graceful creature!
Thank you very much, IT!
I can’t believe you caught these birds on film! Hummingbirds are so hard to photograph, but your photo is spectacular!
Thank you very much, Robin! Yes, they are a huge challenge to photograph, but this was a pleasant surprise.
Great info. I do love my hummers.
Thank you! Yes, I do too!
These little birds are truly graceful and you captured them beautifully. 😉
Thank you very much, Eliz! Such a nice comment!
Great captures!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
These are a favorite of mine! Lovely birds and lovely words.
Rubbish by Roan
Awww…thanks so much!
Graceful indeed…and so much fun to watch. They’re extraordinary birds…as is your photo share.
Thanks for linking up this week at the Bird D’Pot.
Great post and beautiful photo!
Cracking shot.
Thank you! I just looked at some of your macro shots and they are amazing!
What a stunningly visual and informative post! I have shared on Twitter, FB and Pinterest! Hummingbirds are certainly high up on th miracle list of nature!
Wow, thank you so much! Yes, they are little miracles.
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your photos of the hummingbirds keep amazing me! Excellent!
Ciao, Francina
Wow, thank you so much, Francina! Ciao!
love this post. you took a very beautiful photo and you also stated facts about your subject! 🙂 the photo is really beautiful..
Thank you very much!!
SO beautiful, lovely colors and details! Thank you for sharing on WTS#44!
Thanks for such a nice comment…and thanks for hosting WTS!
Wow! The facts about hummingbirds are impressive!
Thank you very much! They are impressive little birds!