Hummingbirds are smallest birds in this planet. Here few unknown facts about this beautiful creature.
1> Scientific name of Hummingbirds family – Trochilidae.
Vigors , an Irish zoologist named this in 1825.
2> There are 325 different species of hummingbirds are found but in United States only 8 species breed.
3> They haven’t any organ for smell.
4> Hummingbirds can fly even in backward direction also.
5> They have largest brain weight in proportion to body weight in bird. Approximately 5 %.
6> They are nectivores because more than 80% energy they get from nectar.
7> When they flap their wing , a humming sound generate and this is why their name is hummingbird.
8> Average size of hummingbirds is 7 – 13 cm or 3- 5 inch. Bee hummingbirds are smallest in this family and average size of them is 5cm.
9> They have only 1000 to 1600 numbers of feathers and it is least numbers of feathers that any birds have.
10> 20 to 25 % body weight are due to their pectoralis muscle. This muscle is responsible for flights.
11 > Hummingbirds also lay eggs which is tiniest among any birds. Only 0.5 inch in size but astonishingly it is almost 15 % of mothers weights
12> Hummingbirds can fly at a speed of 45 km/hr and can dive more than 80 km/hr. They can even travel more than 500 miles to cross the Gulf of Mexico. Ruby throated hummingbirds generally do that.
13> During flying their heart rate goes up to 1200/min and at rest it is about 200/min . They breaths almost 250 times in a minute.
14>Average life span is 4 to 5 years but they can live up to 12 years though mortality during 1st year is extremely high.
15> Red colour flower they prefer most.Tubular flower also their favorite choice.
16>Humming birds have hair over their tongue and with the help of it they lick nectar. They don’t suck.
17>Humming bird can convert sucrose to energy by almost 100% .
