Animal Facts > Hummingbird

The hummingbird is a small bird distinguished by their ability to hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 15-80 per second. They are the only birds that can deliberately fly backwards.

The Bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world weighing a mere 1.8 grams. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs approximately 3 grams and is 3 inches long.

Hummingbirds are also known for their colorful, almost metallic looking plumage and their fairylike grace, inspiring some very colorful names such as Ruby-topaz and Glittering-bellied Emerald.

Hummingbirds feed on plant nectar and are plant pollinators. They have the highest metabolism of all animals, excluding insects, which necessitates consuming more than their body weight of food daily while visiting hundreds of flowers. Their heart rate can reach 500 beats per minute.