This blog is on an animal that you might have seen before, the hummingbird. There is around 350 different species of hummingbirds in the southern hemisphere alone. These birds prefer tropical climates, but can be found further north, even here, in Vermont.

One of the calling cards of a hummingbird is its rapid wing beat. Depending on the species, hummingbirds beat their wings between 15 and 80 times per second. This results in a slight humming sound, and hence, the name.

Hummingbirds also come in a range of sizes, from the Cuban bee hummingbird at 5 cm tall (that’s smaller than my thumb!) to the Andes giant hummingbird at 20 cm tall (that’s bigger than my hand!). Hummingbirds eat/drink mainly nectar from flowers, but also eat insects, due to the lack of protein in nectar. This fuels the hummingbird to a top speed of 30 mph, and also making the hummingbird the only bird to be able to fly backwards.

However, one of the reasons that the hummingbird is endangered is that what it sacrifices for speed is defense. If one of the predators of the hummingbird, that is, snakes, lizards, or even larger birds, manage to catch it, the hummingbird cannot fight back very well. Even wild and domestic cats try and get them.

There is a high mortality rate for the first year amongst hummingbirds, but those who survive average a lifespan of four years old, though hummingbirds have been known to live twelve.

It is the female that builds the nest, and after three weeks, the eggs that the female laid will hatch. However, with the exception of mating, hummingbirds are solitary animals, meaning that they prefer to live alone.

Hummingbirds are a one-of-a-kind species, and they hold a place as pollinators, something that is coming rare with the collapse of bees. But, the hummingbirds agility and speed might save them yet.

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