| Hummingbirds are a joy for a birdwatcher
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| | move from flower to flower, they help the
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| to observe. They are found only in the
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| | flowers to reproduce.
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| Western Hemisphere, from as far north as
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| | Hummingbirds have little or no sense of
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| Southeastern Alaska and the Maritimes of
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| | smell, so colour is important to a
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| Canada and as far south as Southern
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| | hummingbird's search process for locating
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| Chile. There are approximately 350
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| | flowers containing nectar. While they
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| species of hummingbirds with 320 species
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| | will visit any flower that has sufficient
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| found in the tropics. Within the family
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| | nectar they prefer flowers that are red
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| of hummingbirds is found the smallest
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| | to orange in colour. It is believed that
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| bird in the world, the Bee Hummingbird of
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| | there are several reasons for this colour
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| Cuba at 2.17 inches (5.5 cm) and weight
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| | preference. Red flowers standout in a
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| 1.95gm (0.07 oz). Hummingbirds range in
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| | green background and so are more easily
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| size from 2 inches to 8 inches.
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| | seen by the hummingbird. It is also
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| The hummingbird derives its name from the
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| | believed that because hummingbirds
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| humming sound that is produced by its
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| | compete with insects for nectar they
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| rapid wingbeat. Generally the wingbeat is
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| | choose flowers that are less likely to be
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| so rapid that the individual only sees a
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| | visited by insects. Most insects do not
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| blur as most of these birds flap their
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| | see well at the red end of the colour
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| wings about 50 times per second. The
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| | spectrum and so may not visit red flowers
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| speed of the wingbeat depends on the size
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| | while hummingbirds see the full visible
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| of the bird, the largest the Giant
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| | spectrum.
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| Hummingbird, has a wingbeat rate of 10-15
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| | Hummingbirds also need protein in order
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| times per second. The fastest recorded
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| | to build muscles, so they eat insects.
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| rate was about 80 times per second, on a
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| | They prefer to feed on small spiders and
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| tiny Amethyst Woodstar, and the slightly
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| | slow-flying insects such as gnats, small
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| smaller Bee Hummingbird - the world's
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| | wasps and leafhoppers, which are rather
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| smallest bird - may have an even faster
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| | buoyant in air and easy to catch. They
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| rate. A hummingbird's wing is flexible at
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| | also probe the bark and foliage for
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| the shoulder, but inflexible at the
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| | insects such as aphids, spiders,
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| wrist, this enables them to fly in many
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| | caterpillars and insect eggs. It is
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| different directions. They can fly right,
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| | believed that up to one-half of their
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| left, up, down, backwards and even upside
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| | diet is made up of small insects.
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| down. To move away from the flowers on
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| | Hummingbirds are capable of living for
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| which they feed hummingbirds fly
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| | extended periods without nectar as a
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| backwards and are the only bird able to
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| | component of their diet. They can quickly
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| fly backwards. While other birds get
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| | convert fat reserves and recently
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| their flight power from the downstroke
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| | ingested insects to energy when deprived
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| only, hummingbirds also have strength on
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| | of nectar. Hummingbirds compete for
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| the up-stroke. Though they fly very fast,
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| | nectar and insects and so they develop
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| they can suddenly stop and make a soft
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| | territories, which they guard
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| landing. They are so light they do not
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| | aggressively. They will fight with other
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| build up much momentum. Hummingbirds have
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| | hummingbirds that enter their territory
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| poorly developed feet, so that although
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| | but serious harm is seldom inflicted
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| they are able to perch and will do so
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| | during these fights. Also when food
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| when feeding or resting, they do not
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| | sources are scarce they fight to protect
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| walk. In order to move, even along a
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| | their source.
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| branch, they fly. Hummingbirds lift from
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| | Most hummingbirds are green except
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| perches without pushing off; they rise
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| | hermits, which are mainly brown, and are
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| entirely on their own power, flapping
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| | known for the iridescence. These
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| their wings at almost full speed before
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| | brilliant, iridescent colors of the
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| lifting off. Hummingbirds sleep perched
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| | hummingbird plumage are caused by the
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| on branches with their neck retracted and
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| | refraction of incident light by the
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| their head forward, the bill pointed up
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| | structures of certain feathers. These
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| at a sharp angle, and the feathers
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| | structures split light into its component
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| fluffed.
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| | colors, and only certain frequencies are
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| It is believed that hummingbirds live for
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| | refracted back to the viewer. The brown
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| only 3 to 4 years. They have a fast
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| | colour in some hummingbirds is the result
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| heartbeat with a rate of 1260 beats per
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| | however of pigmentation. Hummingbirds
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| minute having been measured in a
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| | groom themselves with their bills and
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| Blue-throated Hummingbird. In torpid
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| | claws, using oil from a gland near their
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| hummingbirds, the heart rate can drop to
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| | tail. They also use their claws like a
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| 50-180 per minute. Their fast heart rate
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| | comb to groom their heads and necks. They
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| and rapid wing motion require them to
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| | sunbathe positioning their breast towards
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| feed regularly throughout the day. It is
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| | the sun and fluffing out, extending their
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| reported that they must feed every 10
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| | neck and spreading their tail.
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| minutes and they may consume 2/3 of their
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| | Hummingbirds also take water baths using
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| body weight in a single day. A major part
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| | the water in shallow pools or cupped
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| of a hummingbird's diet is the nectar
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| | leaves. They flutter their wings or pull
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| they obtain from flowers and their bills
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| | them straight back while lifting and
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| are perfectly adapted to the various
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| | spreading their tail; they dip their
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| types of flowers that they feed on. Some
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| | chins and bellies into the water. At
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| hummingbirds have especially curved or
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| | times they can be seen sitting on a bare
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| elongated bills that allow them to feed
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| | branch allowing the rain to soak through
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| on special flowers, eg the White-tipped
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| | to their skin. After bathing they will
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| Sicklebill hummingbird whose downward
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| | preen and dry their feathers.
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| curving bill allows it to draw nectar
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| | Hummingbirds build cup shaped nests,
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| from heliconias. The Ruby-Topaz
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| | however hermits build long hanging nests
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| Hummingbird has a short and slightly
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| | usually attached to foliage. Male
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| decurved bill that is suited to feeding
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| | hummingbirds do not contribute to the
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| on the flowers of the ixora shrub. The
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| | building of nests or the care of young.
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| Blue-tailed Emerald has a short bill
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| | All feeding is therefore left to the
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| that is suited for feeding on the
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| | female. When feeding the female perches
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| Hibiscus flower. the Copper-rumped
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| | on the side of the nest, arches her back,
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| Hummingbird has a straight long bill that
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| | stretches her neck, lifts her head, and
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| allows it to feed on medium sized tube
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| | holds her bill down to regurgitate nectar
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| shaped flowers such as the allamanda. In
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| | and half-digested insects to her babies.
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| feeding, hummingbirds use their tongue to
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| | Her throat swells and she pumps her beak
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| lap the nectar in a similar manner to
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| | like a sewing needle.
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| cats lapping milk. Their tongue can
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| | Although various larger birds, snakes,
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| extend a distance equal to their beak
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| | and mammals raid hummingbird nests for
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| length. As they feed hummingbirds
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| | eggs and chicks, this is not a major
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| accidentally collect pollen and as they
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| | cause of death.
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