All About Hummingbirds

Find out all about hummingbirds!

If you want to learn all about hummingbirds, you've come to the right place!

Did you know that there are 17 species of hummingbirds breeding just in North America alone? But how do you know it's a hummingbird? Just because there is a small animal hovering and feeding from flowers does not make it a hummingbird. There are several species of moth that are about the same size and active during the day getting mistaken as hummingbirds. These moths share so many traits with the hummingbird that mistaking them is quite easy and natural. However, after learning all about hummingbirds and their distinctive traits, you'll be able to recognize and distinguish them from moths.

Hummingbirds are classified in the Trochilidae family of the Apodidae order. They range in size from the smallest, Bee Hummingbird, about 2.25" long from bill to tail, to the largest, Giant Hummingbird, measuring about 8.5" in total length. The wing beat of a small hummingbird can range from 38-78 times a second. This results in a high metabolism in hummingbirds, which eat about 1/2 their weight and drink up to eight times their body weight in water each day. This is why Hummingbird Feeders make a great sanctuary for these lovable birds. By placing a feeder near your home, you can observe these incredible creatures as they hover and feed right in front of your very eyes.

There are also many myths concerning hummingbirds. For example, the myth that hummingbirds feed on nectar alone; the truth is hummingbirds not only feed on nectar from flowers, but they also feed on tiny insects to fulfill their protein needs. Another myth is that hummingbirds actually suck the nectar from flowers. Actually, hummingbirds do not suck the nectar, but in fact lap it up as a cat would at very high speeds. These are just some of the interesting facts you can find from the collection of sites we've collected below. Learn all about hummingbirds: the myths, mating habits, and distictive traits that make this bird so unique.

So be sure to check out our pages on Hummingbird Pictures, Hummingbird Feeders, and Hummingbird Food elsewhere on this site.