Living habits of hummingbirds

Wood fairy is the collective name of about 600 species of hummingbirds in swift, and it is the smallest bird known in the world. Hummingbirds are very small and can hover in the air by flapping their wings quickly, about 15 to 80 times per second. Its speed depends on the size of the hummingbird. Hummingbirds are named after the hum of flapping wings. Hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards. Hummingbirds can also hover in the air and fly left and right. Hummingbirds are the smallest warm-blooded animals in the world.

Hummingbirds like flowering plants (especially red flowers), including shrimp flowers, which are upside down (also called Zhong Hua, Zhong Haitang and Deng Haitang). Fishing for plants like bells and willows. Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of these plants. They are also important pollinators, especially those with long tubes. Most hummingbirds also feed on insects.

In order to adapt to the rapid flapping of wings, hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism of all animals. Their heart rate can reach 500 beats per minute! Hummingbirds consume far more food than their own weight every day. In order to get a lot of food, they must eat hundreds of flowers every day. Sometimes hummingbirds have to endure hunger for hours. In order to adapt to this situation, they can slow down their metabolism at night or when food is not easy to get. Entering a state similar to hibernation is called "hibernation". During hibernation, the heart rate and respiratory rate will slow down to reduce the demand for food.

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Female birds nest alone. Hummingbirds' nests are cup-shaped fabrics, which are usually hung on branches, caves, rock surfaces or large leaves. Hummingbirds lay two very small white eggs at a time. The incubation period of eggs is usually 15- 19 days. In breeding, the female completes the tasks of nesting, incubating eggs and feeding young birds alone. Each nest lays 2 eggs (occasionally 3-4 eggs). Eggs are round and white. The interval between two eggs is 48 hours. The weight of an egg is l3 that of a female bird. The incubation period is 14~23 days. Hummingbirds' nests are mostly small cup-shaped fiber cells hanging on horizontal branches; Some build nests in caves, others weave nests and hang them on the surface of rocks or large leaves (leaves of palm or tree fern) with spider silk. Hummingbird's cup-shaped nest, with deep cup and thick wall, is interwoven with moss and plant fibers, which is beneficial to keep the hatching temperature of eggs and keep the chicks warm. When feeding chicks, females hover, put their mouths down their throats and pour out nectar or small insects. The feeding time is 20-40 days. Hummingbirds' nests can be used for a long time. You can have 2 litters a year, and it is very rare to have 3 litters a year. Female birds reach sexual maturity after one year, and male birds can courtship and sing after living independently for several months.