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A hummingbird is a bird that flaps its wings so fast in flight that it makes a high-frequency humming sound and appears to hover. It is one of the world’s smallest bird species and belongs to the Trochilidae family. It is known for its small, lightweight physique, a long bill, rapidly beating wings, and powerful senses of sight and hearing.
See the fact file below for more information on the hummingbird or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Hummingbird worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Hummingbird Facts
- Hummingbirds belong to the Trochilidae avian family.
- The word Trochilidae comes from the Greek word trochilos, meaning “small bird.”
- They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings when they are hovering and/or feeding.
- There are over 300 species and 113 genera of the hummingbird.
- Hummingbirds are native to the Americas and are found from Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego way down south in Argentina and Chile.
- Most species are found in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
- At least 140 hummingbird species breed in the Andes mountain range.
- The average lifespan of a hummingbird is 5 to 10 years.
Characteristics
- Of all bird species, the hummingbird has the largest brain relative to its size.
- Hummingbirds have an excellent memory and are able to remember every flower they’ve been to for nectar.
- They have such small feet that they cannot walk or hop properly; however, the feet are useful for perching, preening, and scratching themselves.
- During cold nights or when fatigued, hummingbirds go into a state called torpor. Torpor is a type of hibernation used to reduce temperature and metabolic rate to save energy.
Size
- Hummingbirds are tiny.
- Most species measure only 3–5 in (7.5–13 cm) in length.
- The smallest species, the bee hummingbird (Helena hummingbird) is a mere 2.0 in (5 cm) and weighs less than 0.07 oz (2.0 g).
- The largest hummingbird species is the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) which is just over 9 in (23 cm) long and weighs 0.63–0.85 oz (18–24 g).
- Hummingbirds exhibit sexual size dimorphism.
- In the small-bodied species, males are mostly smaller than females.
- In large-bodied species, males are mostly larger than females.
- Bill size and shape differences are also visible between male and female hummingbirds, with some female species having longer, more curved bills for accessing nectar from tall flowers.
- In species where females and males are of the same size, females tend to have larger bills.
- Females are better at foraging, acquiring flower nectar, and supporting the energy demands of their larger body size.
Wings and Flight
- Relative to its size, the hummingbird has the fewest feathers of all birds.
- Hummingbirds’ wings are powerful, and they fly efficiently because they have lightweight feathers and feet.
- They fly by inverting their wings like insects.
- They are the only birds that can fly backward, sideways, and up and down.
- They are also able to hover in mid-air.
- Depending on the species, a hummingbird’s wings beat 50 to 200 times per second.
- It breathes 250 times per minute, and its heart beats approximately 1,200 times per minute.
- Hummingbirds can fly at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, with top speeds exceeding 15 m/s, 34 mph (54 km/h).
Vision
- Hummingbird eyes are small in diameter, with relatively large corneas.
- They have powerful eyesight and good night vision.
- They can see further than the human eye and can also see colors that the human eye can’t because their eyes can process ultraviolet light.
- Their visual sensitivity also allows them to hover extensively in one place.
Song and Color
- Hummingbird vocals consist of whistles, buzzes, chirps, and squeaks.
- These allow a large frequency range and pitch.
- Most male hummingbirds have bright, varied colored plumage on the head, breast, back, and wings.
- Males have a ruby-red throat, while females have a white throat.
- The most common colors for female hummingbirds are dark green, brown, and white.
- Females tend to keep a low profile to hide from predators, especially when nesting and incubating their young.
Reproduction and Young
- Male hummingbirds go to great lengths to court and impress females.
- They dance and sing and perform courtship dives and mating displays require clever and complex aerial maneuvers.
- Hummingbirds do not mate for life, and male hummingbirds do not take part in preparing the nest or caring for the young.
- Females usually build a cup-shaped nest on the branch of a shrub or tree.
- Lichen and spider silk is often used to bind the nest material together, making the structure secure and flexible.
- Nest size varies relative to the species.
- Usually, two white eggs are laid.
- Incubation lasts between 14 and 23 days, depending on the species, the female’s attentiveness, and the ambient temperature.
- The newborns are called nestlings.
- The mother feeds them on nectar and small insects by regurgitating food into the nestlings’ crop.
- Hummingbirds stay in the nest for 18–22 days, after which they leave the nest to start foraging on their own.
- The mother bird may continue supplement feeding for a short while after.
Migration
- Hummingbirds have different migration patterns and habits, depending on the species.
- Some species of hummingbirds migrate in flocks.
- Most North American hummingbirds migrate southward in fall to spend winter in Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, or Central America.
- The rufous hummingbird is renowned for its extraordinary flight skills and the longest migration pattern. It flies up to 3,900 miles (over six thousand km) from Alaska to Mexico.
Diet
- Hummingbirds are nectarivores.
- They feed mainly on flower nectar, but they can also sip juice from fruits or eat small insects and spiders.
- Hummingbirds drink with their long tongues.
- The tongue is forked and compressed until it reaches nectar.
- It then opens, and rapid movement traps the nectar, and it moves up along grooves.
- Hummingbirds require a lot of energy to fly, so they need to eat a lot.
- Many plants are pollinated by hummingbirds and attract the birds with flowers in shades of bright pink, red, and orange.
- Hummingbirds also drink sugar water provided by humans, feeding the birds nourishment when flower blossoms are scarce.
Predators
- Predators of hummingbirds include cats, snakes, praying mantises, lizards, owls, hawks, frogs, and large spiders.
Did You Know?
- Trinidad and Tobago is called “The Land of the Hummingbird.” The hummingbird is on the nation’s coat of arms.
- Honeyeaters, sunbirds, and hummingbird moths are commonly mistaken for hummingbirds.
- Some species of sunbirds of Asia, Australia, and Africa, resemble hummingbirds in appearance but are not related to hummingbirds.
- A common species found in North America is Anna’s hummingbird. They are medium-sized, short-billed, and broad-tailed. The females are commonly green and gray in color, while the males have reddish feathers covering their heads and throats.
- A species that is easy to identify is the sicklebill hummingbird because it has a bill shaped like a sickle.
Hummingbird Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about hummingbirds across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Hummingbird worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about a hummingbird which is a bird that flaps its wings so fast in flight that it makes a high-frequency humming sound and appears to hover. It is one of the world’s smallest bird species and belongs to the Trochilidae family. It is known for its small, lightweight physique, a long bill, rapidly beating wings, and powerful senses of sight and hearing.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Hummingbird Facts
- Humming-Word
- Clade Search
- Fierce in Flight
- Correct Colors
- Feet Not For Flying
- Spot The Predator
- Ruby-throats and Rufouses
- Trivia Time
- Photo Hunt
- Letter to a Friend
Frequently Asked Questions
How heavy is a Hummingbird?
Hummingbirds are very small and very light. The average weight of a hummingbird is less than the weight of a nickel coin.
How long is a hummingbird’s tongue?
Hummingbird’s tongues are approximately the same length as their bill. Females have longer tongues than males.
Do hummingbirds return to the same place each year?
Hummingbirds have a fantastic memory and are known to return to the same artificial feeder yearly.
What time are hummingbirds most active?
Hummingbirds feed throughout the day. However, their favorite time of day to feed is usually early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
What makes hummingbirds unique?
The way hummingbirds fly makes them unique. No other birds can fly like them. Hummingbirds can hover like a helicopter and fly forward, backward, and even upside down.
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Link will appear as Hummingbird Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 4, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.