By Otto Rodriguez
PetLifePro.com
Without a doubt, hummingbirds are among the most fascinating creatures on Earth. If you are one of those who place a bird feeder in your backyard for them or just someone who admires the vibrant colors these birds fancy, here are some interesting facts about hummingbirds:
1-) They eat all day long
Part of the restlessness hummingbirds show is due to the fact they spend the day eating, specifically every 10 to 15 minutes. That means they have to make their way to thousand of flowers, between 1,000 and 2,000 per day.
2-) Superfast
For their size, hummingbirds are faster than a car. And there is a kind called migratory ruby-throated that can fly up to 20 straight hours to cross the Gulf of Mexico, powered by its fat stores.
3-) Minuscule eggs
Due to its extra small size, hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs among all birds. As average, they are the size of a pea.
4-) They eat a “ton”
To avoid starvation, the average hummingbird can eat half of its weight in nectar and insects each day. Just for comparison, if the average person had the metabolism of one of these birds, he or she would have to eat 285 pounds of meat each day.
5-) They live only in the Americas
These birds can be found as far north as Canada, and also in the Andes, in South America. Out of 340 species, only 17of them nest in the United States.
6-) Eternal hovers
Hummingbirds can fly in any direction you might think of: forward, backward, and even upside down. Did you know they are the only vertebrates capable of sustained hovering?
7-) Lifespan
As average, hummingbirds live only between 3 to 5 years. The record holder for the oldest hummingbird to ever live is 12 years. It was a female broad-tailed hummingbird in Colorado.
😎 A very special heart
Hummingbirds’ heart can beat as fast as 1,260 beats per minute, and when it rests it takes about 250 breaths per minute.
