| Hummingbirds | |
|---|---|
 Various species of hummingbirds | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
Hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) are small birds in the order Apodiformes.
Description[]
Their sizes vary from the Bee Hummingbird's (5 cm; the smallest bird ever) to the Giant Hummingbird's (23 cm long). A species of hummingbird, the Sword-billed Hummingbird, is known for being the bird with the longest bill relative to body size and the only bird to have a bill longer than the rest of its body. Many species of them have colorful, iridescent plumage with shades of various bright colors, which are mostly only present in males.
Their legs are too weak for them to walk, therefore these birds spend most of their time in flight. They have a fast, hovering flight and are able fly backwards. Unlike other birds, hummingbirds have stiff wings, but have very mobile shoulder articulations, allowing them to hover for long periods of time.
Distribution and Habitat[]
They are native to North and South America, with the greatest diversity of species being in the subtropics and tropics of the continents.
General Habits[]
Hummingbirds beat their wings very quickly (80 beats per second), and, to do this, they need a lot of energy. They must eat big amounts of nectar by sucking it from flowers with their long, slim beak by their forked tongue, and they risk to starve if they don't eat for 6 hours.
Their nests are usually made of cobweb, moss, straw and feathers. The chicks are nidicolous.
Longevity[]
Hummingbirds mainly live for 3 to 5 years, though the record age recorded for this group of birds is 12 years, proven by a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird that was banded when she was one year old and became recaptured 11 years later, making her no less than 12 years old.
Gallery[]
