Hummingbirds


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A picture of a hummingbird.


Hummingbirds. They're those tiny, beautiful birds that beat their wings so fast, all you can see is a blur. Hummingbirds are incredible creatures, capable of a great many feats with some interesting capabilities. Hummingbirds can (depending on the species) beat their wings at a maximum of 255 times per second ! The diet of a hummingbird consists entirely of nectar collected by them from flowers. Yes, these tiny birds live only one the sugary syrup produced by flowers.

Hummingbirds have another very specialized skill. As said, hummingbirds are very small birds. Their feathers are not exactly highly insulating, and therefor do not keep them very warm. In order to compensate for this during cold weather, hummingbirds are able to enter a torpor. Yes, that's actually what it's called. It sounds like something out of Skyrim, I know, but bear with me. A torpor is a "very deep, sleep-like state in which metabolic functions are slowed to a minimum and a very low body temperature is maintained" according to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. This is very similar to hibernation, except hummingbirds may enter this state whenever demanded to by nature. This typically happens on a very cold night in which the reduced metabolism and lower temperature allows the birds to survive the inhospitable conditions.

While hummingbirds are quite small birds, they come in a range of sizes, the smallest being a native Cuban hummingbird which weighs only 1.95 grams. These birds (all hummingbirds, not just the cuban one) are typically jewel toned, occasionally possessing a colorful bit of plumage called a "gorget". The gorget covers the underside of the birds throat and can be visibly seen on the male "Costa's Hummingbird"'s throat.