10 Most Interesting Facts about the Hummingbirds

1. Territorial

Hummingbirds are territorial birds and protect their food sources. They protect both of their food sources, including the flowers and feeders. You can see the hummingbirds chasing the other birds around the feeders and flowers.

2. Long-distance migrants

Hummingbirds travel 100s miles each year in search of food. They migrate further than any of the other North American Species. During the spring season, they travel 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska. Most of the ruby-throated hummingbirds spend their cold season in southern Mexico and Northern Panama.

3. Return to the same feeder

Hummingbirds have great memory as they come to the same feeder and flowers every year. They like to return to the areas where they hatched. After the 100s of mile's travel, they don't forget their hatching place.

4. Fast tongue speed

Hummingbirds need double of their body weight nectar daily. They fulfill this need with their fast-moving tongue, which can be moved in and out of the feeding ports 13 times per second. They can also get the nectar from flowers at the same speed.

5. No sense of smell

Many people are shocked by knowing that hummingbirds don't have a sense of smell. Actually, hummingbirds use their good color vision to locate the feeders and brighter color flowers. Don't use the red dye in the nectar feeder as it can be harmful to hummingbirds. There are plenty of red and orange flowers are available; you can simply plant them.

6. Four-Way Moves

Hummingbirds are also known for their four-way moves, including the forward, backward, upside, and down move. They can also hover for a period around the flowers and nectar feeders to get the nectar.

7. Fast Moving Speed

Hummingbirds can cover more considerable distances in small periods due to their fast-moving speed. A hummingbird can reach up to 30 mph in a direct flight and 45 mph in courtship dives. They are not moving fast from place to place; their body parts are also moving very fast. A hummingbird's heart beating rate is 225 per minute that can reach up to 1200 times per minute during their flight. Their wing's flapping speed is 70 times per second that can reach up to 200 times per second during their dive.

8. Like to Rest

Hummingbirds also need to go into a rest state when no more nectar sources are available. A few groups of hummingbird species go into the hibernation state, which is also known as torpor. It's a sleep state which slows down the metabolic functions to their minimum level with a very low body temperature. This state helps hummingbirds to survive when the conditions are not good for their body temperature. But there is not any specific time to go into the torpor conditions; they go into this state any time of the day when the temperature is not suitable for them.

9. Anti-Social

Hummingbirds are unsocial creatures and compete for food sources when more than one hummingbird is around the flower or feeder. This competition can end up with high-speed chases. The competitions can also arise during the mating season when the male birds try to prove their dominance. They use their needle-like beaks to prove their dominance.

10. Big-Brained Bird

Hummingbirds brain is up to 4.2 percent of their body weight, which is the largest of any bird. That's the reason hummingbirds remember their migration routes and the feeder they once in their life. They can recognize the humans but a little shy.

Visit Birdfeederist.com for more information about the hummingbirds and other wild birds.

I am Melissa, a lecturer, and writer. I have written for several professional organizations. We have a team of researchers with the main goal of helping people with hummingbird feeders.