19 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Hummingbirds
Updated: Jul. 29, 2021These fascinating facts and photos are bound to make you adore them even more!
They return to where they hatch
If you think the same hummingbirds come to your feeders and flowers every year, you might be right! Banding research shows they are likely to return to the area where they hatched.
They can’t walk
Hummingbirds’ dainty feet are used for perching only; hummingbirds don’t walk or hop. By air or sea, animal facts are amazing–check out these facts about manatees.
They can turn on a dime
Their sturdy tail feathers are used like rudders to make hairpin turns. You don’t want to miss these hilarious bird photos. Who knew they could be so funny?
They can see in color
Their large eyes pick up as many colors as human eyes do, plus ultraviolet light. Red is a favorite color because their eyes can see it vividly. But they also easily notice orange and yellow hues, too.
They sometimes eat tree sap
Hummingbirds, especially males, sometimes arrive in their northern nesting grounds before flowers have started to bloom. Where can they find the sweet treats they need for energy? Tree sap! Hummingbirds are known to follow sapsuckers around and drink sap from the holes they drill in trees like maple, birch, and hickory. Plant some of these trees in your own yard to attract hummingbirds that arrive in early spring.
They like to rest and ride on swings
The tiny birds spend as much as 80 percent of their waking hours at rest. You can buy or build special hummingbird swings for them to enjoy. Also, hang some perches near sugar-water feeders.
They shouldn’t eat organic sugar
Pure white table sugar is the safest option for mixing nectar for hummingbirds. Many consider organic sugar, which doesn’t tend to be fully refined to pure sucrose, unsafe for feeding birds. You should steer clear of brown sugar, powdered sugar, sugar substitutes, honey, red dye or any other ingredient but plain white sugar.
Its tongue is a useful tool
A hummingbird uses its tongue, which functions as a tiny pump, to suck the sought-after sweet liquid from feeders and flowers. These are the most majestic birds found in nature.
They migrate far
Rufous hummingbirds migrate farther than any other North American species. They travel 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska every spring.
Their breaths per minute are very high
While resting, the average 4-inch hummingbird takes about 150 breaths per minute. These hilarious bird puns will quack you up.
Their wings beat extremely fast
Known for erratic movements, these agile birds beat their wings more than 50 times per second, and even faster in extreme flight mode.
They love mist
A birdbath with a small mister, bubbler, or sprayer attracts hummingbirds. It’s a rare sight, but they might fly through the mist of a lawn sprinklers, too!
It takes less than a week to build a nest
It takes less than a week (about five to seven days) for a hummingbird to build its nest. Built by females only, nests are made of lichen, moss, and spiderwebs. Now that you’re an expert on hummingbirds, check out these animal “facts” that you have all wrong.
