I am so pleased I was able to get a few more good shots of the hummingbirds that we have :) If you have never heard what one sounds like when it is flying you have to listen to it here! Some days they fly very close to us and they can be quite aggressive over territory and food so you will be sitting outside eating lunch and there will be 2 hummingbirds dive bombing each other and just a chattering at each other on high speed around your head! *grin* Listen to this link to hear them chattering :)
Did you know that a Hummingbird is capable of flying at speeds up to 100 km/hr? Amazing isn't it!
When flying they can beat their wings up to 80 times per second and that is why when you watch them their wings appear to be invisible or only partially there. They also have a very high body temperature and heart rate. Their teeny tiny hearts can beat up to 1200 times per minute! All of that flying and flapping takes a lot of food and energy so they can eat as much as 2/3 of their body weight each day. The main staple of their diet is sugar which comes from flower nectar and tree sap but they also need protein to keep and help build their muscles so they also eat insects and pollen.
Did you know that a Hummingbird has a really great memory? Well they do and can remember where there are good food sources from even a couple of years ago! So it's a good idea to keep your feeder in the same spot each year and they will be sure to return there first while they wait for all of the flowers in your garden to bloom :)
Great captures on the hummingbirds. Your photo's are so clear and colorful.
And good info in the commentary. Hummingbirds are amazing little creatures. I've always been amazed at how brave they are around humans for such fragile looking fliers.
Hey nature mama - Thanks for dropping by and the kind words.
I hope if you visited Avril's blog you were able to check out her other site with her paintings. I think she is great with the wild animals, especially the big cats. She is fairly new to blogging and I'm hoping she will keep it up. She has so much passion for her art and wildlife that I think she really has something to offer the blogging community.
