Zippy's "Back" And Having Some Hummingbird Fun!

Did you Know?

* a hummingbird's brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.

* a gorget is the bright flashing colored feathers of a hummingbird's neck.

* hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to and how long it will take for a flower to refill.

* they can hear better and see farther than humans.

* hummingbirds can see ultraviolet light.

* when flying a hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1260 times per min and 250 times per min at rest.

* a hummingbird's metabolism is roughly 100 times that of an elephant.

* their body temperature is around 100º/37.8º.

* an average hummer will have about 940 feathers!

* females find iridescent feathers attractive (you sexy thing, Zippy!)

* they do not mate for life.

* males do not help raise their young.

* females do all of the nest building.

* most hummingbirds die during the first year of life

* they have an average lifespan of five years but can live up to ten.

* hummingbird's wings beat about 70 times per second but can beat up to 200 times per second when diving.

* a hummingbird can fly an average of 25-30 mph (40-48 kph) but can actually dive up to 60 mph (97 kph).

* when hummingbirds sleep at night they go into a hibernation-like state called torpor which conserves about 60% of their energy.

* during torpor, they can lower their body temperature to as low as 70º/21º.

* when they enter torpor, they can appear as though they are dead and have occasionally been found to be hanging upside down.

* hummingbirds are the second largest family of birds in the Western Hemisphere.

* hummingbirds pollinate flowers by rubbing their faces and foreheads in each flower as they get the nectar.

* they will not get addicted to a feeder filled with nectar.They will leave when they need to.

* hummingbirds need to eat on average 7-8 times per hour (hence the length of time to stalk).

* they will eat anywhere from 1/2 to 8 times its body weight per day.

*  hummingbirds DO NOT read books on what they are supposed to do and tend to do what they want!

  ~excerpts from worldofhummingbirds.com