![]() ![]() Hummingbirds have amazing adaptations which allow for unique flight patterns. Hummingbirds have one of the highest metabolic rates of any animal, with heart rates up to 1,260 beats per minute, breathing rate of about 250 breaths per minute even at rest.ĭuring flight, hummingbird oxygen consumption per gram of muscle tissue is approximately 10 times higher than a triathlon runner. They may defend territories, such as a feeding territory, attacking and chasing other hummingbirds that enter. Both males and females of any age are aggressive toward other hummingbirds. Researchers discovered the tiny birds can double their fat mass in preparation for their Gulf crossing, then expend the entire calorie reserve from fat.Īdults are not social, other than during courtship and when the females are caring for their young. This journey seems impossible because part of their journey takes them over the Gulf of Mexico which is a 500-mile trip lasting more than 20 hours when there is no food or rest areas. Hummingbirds are migratory, spending most of the winter in Florida, Central America, and Mexico.ĭuring migration some hummingbirds make the 900-mile trip nonstop that includes crossing the Gulf of Mexico.ĭuring migration in the fall, older male and female birds are better prepared for the long-distance flights than first-year birds because they have higher body weights and the experience to guide them. For example, males may vocalize to warn another male that has entered his territory. ![]() The vocalizations of ruby-throated hummingbirds are rapid, squeaky chirps, which are used primarily for threats. Juvenile males resemble adult females, although the throat markings are more defined in the young. The female has a notched tail with outer feathers banded in green, black and white and a white throat that may be plain or lightly marked. The red iridescence is dependent on the light and appears dull from many angles. The adult male has a throat patch called a gorget of iridescent red feathers with black edges and a forked black tail. The male and female of this species can be distinguished from one another, and this is known as sexual dimorphism. In comparison, a penny weighs 2.5 grams and a quarter weighs 5.4 grams. Weights can range from 2 to 6 grams with males averaging 3 grams and the females averaging 4 grams. Riddle: What creatures can be between 2.8 and 3.5 inches long, have 5-inch wingspans and weigh no more than a quarter? ![]()
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