The smallest birds in the world

Oct 23, 2007 18:06 GMT  ·  By

1.Hummingbirds are found only in Americas, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego (in the southern tip of South America). Half of the hummingbird species (160) live in the Amazon forest.

The northernmost species is the rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus Rufus), the only species that reaches Alaska. The southernmost species is the green backed firecrown (Sephanoides sephanoides) that reaches Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands.

2.The smallest hummingbird and bird species in the world inhabits the islands of Jamaica and Haiti: vervain hummingbird (Mellisuga minima), 6 cm (2.3 inch) long and weighing 2g. A hummingbird egg is no longer than 6 mm. The giant of the hummingbird world is the ... giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) from Andes: 22 cm (9 in) long and 20 g heavy.

3.Hummingbirds have a lifespan of just 7 years.

4.The wing of the hummingbird has an immobile elbow articulation, that's why its wing functions more like an insect wing. They can move upward the wings much more than any bird, describing an "8" during the wing's movement. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can hover, fly backward, upward and downward in a vertical plane.

5.Due to their extremely small size, hummingbirds' ratio of surface/weight is extremely high. That's why their heart represents 2.5 % of the weight, for supporting the effort of the flight. The pectoral muscles, the main muscles of the flight, represent 30 % of the bodyweight. The wing rhythm is of 40 -200 beats per second, like in large insects. This rapid vibration causes the humming from which their name comes. The flight speed is 47-95 km (30-60 mi) per hour.

Hummingbirds have one of the fastest metabolisms: in a matter of minutes after ingesting nectar, the sugar can be already burned to release energy for the hovering flight.

6.A hummingbird has just 1,000 feathers (in other species, there are tens of thousands of feathers).

7.The classic example of a hummingbird is the nectar feeder. This type of hummingbird is territorial, defending its plot abundant in nectar rich flowers. They will chase any other hummingbird and even larger birds away from their territory. These hummingbirds make small displacements.

The traveler type of hummingbird feeds on flowers less rich in nectar, that's why they travel great distances in their search.

Generalist hummingbirds feed on nectar, overripe fruits and insects. Hunter hummingbirds eat spiders. Perforater hummingbirds pierce the corolla of the flowers to reach the nectar, as they have too short beaks.

Interestingly enough, hummingbirds are not interested in orchid flowers.

As an adaptation for sucking nectar, the tongue of the hummingbird is tubular and bifurcated on the tip.

8.Hummingbirds living in cold areas are adapted to cold. In southern Quebec they can resist for several days at temperatures under 0 ?C. Those from the tropical mountain areas, where the temperature reaches 40 ?C during the day and -20oC during the night enter a lethargic state at night. In this case, the heart rhythm drops from 480-1200 beats per second to 36.

9.Larger hummingbirds are preyed upon by hawks and tree snakes (during the night, when they are lethargic). Small species can be attacked by spiders, dragonflies, praying mantis and insectivore birds. Fish and frogs can eat them when they bath.