They catch flying insects on the wing and they pluck spiders and trapped insects from spider webs. Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers and feeders, as well as on small insects and spiders. But I will make an exception for one truly amazing thing – the construction of their tongues…Read on!Ī hummingbird’s tongue wraps around the inside of its skull: TRUE!īefore we geek out on hummingbird anatomy, let’s review the basics about what these little birds need to consume in order to keep up all their activity. How can they do all this? Well, I can’t get deeply into hummingbird physiology here. Hummingbirds can even fly short distances upside down, a helpful trick when they are being attacked by another bird. They’re capable of flying up to 60 miles per hour, their wings beating 80 times per second. Their seemingly effortless athletic skill is almost annoying! A hummingbird can rotate each of its wings in a circle, and is the only bird that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, and sideways or hover in place. When it comes to movement, I can’t think of a more agile creature than the hummingbird. In 18-23 days, hummingbirds begin taking short forays out of the nest, and the mother focuses on helping them learn where to find nectar and how to forage for insects. And then they are off! The female sits on the eggs until they hatch and then cares for the blind, bald babies, darting out every 20 minutes and returning to offer regurgitated nectar and partially digested insects. ![]() That is so cool!Ĭlick here to see more beautiful images from Tara Lemezis The spiderweb silk can expand as the chicks get bigger. ![]() She uses spiderweb silk to line the inside. But let’s take a minute to appreciate their development from avian Tic Tac to independent bird.įirst the female constructs an intricately woven nest from plant down, mosses, and carefully placed lichen. These are the smallest birds in the world, weighing little more than a penny. No one would expect Hummingbird eggs to be big. (Hang on, does anyone really think that hummingbirds actually have a chin?)Ī hummingbird egg is the size of a jelly bean: TRUE! In San Francisco, you can see them in the Presidio but also downtown, for example at Sue Bierman Park near the Ferry Building.Ĭalifornia is also a rest stop for migrating Allen’s, Rufous, and Black-Chinned hummingbirds. They are plentiful in Marin, but also do well in more urban areas. Originally found only on the Pacific slope from Baja California to San Francisco, the Anna's hummingbird has expanded its breeding range north to British Columbia and east to Arizona and even Texas. In the US, it is the hummingbirds who are the premiere bird pollinators. The species that Californians see most commonly is the one that lives here year-round: Anna’s hummingbird. ![]() But the reading I’ve done for this post has helped me realize that very few of them perform this vital function. I confess that until now I thought that lots of birds were pollinators. But what do they do besides looking great? Answer: they are great pollinators! I think most of us would agree that hummingbirds are beautiful and amazing creatures. But the Anna’s hummingbird is thriving, especially in urban and suburban areas! Whaaaat?! It’s mostly because they happily make use of the nectar in our flowery landscaping, and they very much enjoy the nectar feeders that we often put in our yards. Human habitation and roads can fragment and degrade natural habitat. Hummingbirds are endangered in California: FALSE! Read on to find out how you did on the quiz! A hummingbird’s tongue wraps around the inside of its skull, encircling the eyes.A hummingbird egg is the size of a jellybean.Hummingbirds are endangered in California.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |