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The hummingbird is named because of the sound their wings make after flapping at a rate of 60 to 80 times per second (a humming sound). There are over 340 identified species of hummingbirds, including the worlds smallest bird - the bee hummingbird. This makes them the second largest bird family in the world. They are different from other birds due to their aerodynamic layout. They are the only bird that can fly backwards and upside down. This is because the design of their wings is circulate in motion rather than just up and down.  

They only live in the Americas. They range from Alaska, all the way down to the Southern tip of Chile. They can be found in desert areas, coastal regions, forests and meadows but prefer areas with lots of trees, bushes, and vines, etc. They are very territorial and keep a close eye on who else is in their range. They will fight each other over food sources and habitat. They try to find a place to sleep where they have some shelter. Since these birds are small and have no real defense they do their best to remain well hidden from predators and other dangers. Sometimes they are found sleeping upside down in trees.   

Hummingbirds don’t have much protection in the wild. They are able to fly quickly and they often blend into their surroundings. The types of predators depends on their location and often what time of year it is. Their main Predators are cats (domestic and wild) other predatory birds and snakes.

To attract a female, male hummingbirds perform elaborate courtship dances (some even dive) to get the female to accept him. Females signify their acceptance by perching on a branch and spreading their tail feathers. After mating, the male leaves, (in other words, after the deed, the male flees without having to pay child support) leaving the female to build a nest, incubate the eggs and feed the young. The nest is not much bigger than a ping pong ball and is built from leaves, lichens and spider web silk. Her two eggs are the size of jellybeans and are incubated for 11 to 17 days. After the eggs hatch, the mother feeds the nestlings small insects. After 21 days the nestling are able to fly and start feeding themselves.

Hummingbirds can eat up to 8 times per hour. However, each feeding session will last from 30 seconds to 1 minute. The majority of their diet is sugar. They consume the nectar from flowers. They also find sugar from tree sap.
In many locations there are species that consume pollen and small insects. They do though prefer sugar. However, they are opportunistic so they will dine on whatever they can find.
When food is plentiful hummingbirds will consume up to 3 times their body weight daily. They have a grooved tongue that is designed to help them consume nectar and other types of food rapidly. They have a long tubular like bill that is designed specifically for their dietary needs.
Instead of a stomach the Hummingbird features a sac element that is in their throat area. That is where they will store the food that they consume until it is taken to the small intestine and then digested when food is more scarce.

All three photos of the Humminhbirds were taken at ”Museu de biologia mello leitão santa teresa”