Hummingbirds, a bird. The smallest bird in the world: description, photo and price

Hummingbird is not only the smallest bird on our planet, but also one of the most beautiful creatures created by nature. The amazing creation strikes its way of life and decisive temper. But let's learn a little more about this miniature bird.

Tiny sizes

There are many (about 330) species of hummingbirds. Among the members of this detachment you can find birds, the sizes of which resemble larger insects than birds. For example, the statement that the smallest hummingbird weighs 20 g is erroneous, because a very miniature species called the hummingbird can boast representatives weighing about 2 g.

These crumbs are found mainly in Cuba and reach a size of less than 7 cm, while the largest of the existing humming birds can grow up to 22 cm.

As a rule, measurements are taken from the tip of the beak to the extreme point of the tail. Most of the representatives of these small birds live on the North American continent. They can be found not only in a tropical and subtropical climate, but also in Alaska. Their favorite habitats are the gardens, meadows, fields. Among the hummingbirds there are both sedentary and migratory birds. The latter include Rubyhead Hummingbird and Red Flamer, they spend the winter in Mexico. Unfortunately, on the territory of our continent these crumbs do not occur. There is not even a bird of hummingbirds in Udmurtia, where you can meet another small bird called the kingfisher. It is also small and has an emerald color, so they are often confused.

Coloring

Hummingbird is a bird with a unique color, its plumage is very beautiful and resembles precious stones. When direct sunlight hits, bright feathers shimmer, as if they change their coloring. That is why the bird is often given names associated with precious stones (for example: "topaz hummingbird", "emerald neck", "fire topaz," flying amethyst "). Agree, very poetic nicknames.

"Family life"

Nests of hummingbirds are weaved from grass blades, cobwebs, wool and pieces of bark. The size of the "home" depends on the size of the bird itself. Some of them have nests reaching a cup in diameter, while others have walnut shells.

In this "house" the hummingbird lays 2 eggs, the size of which is not more than a pea. Diameter of eggs - only 12 mm, weight - no more than 0.5 g.

It should be said that the hummingbird is a very courageous and courageous bird, in case of danger it fearlessly stands up for the protection of its chicks and flies swiftly to the enemy. A desperate mother pierces her sharp beak in the nose or the eye of the attacker.

It is noteworthy that hummingbirds do not form a pair. In females, the cavity is the care of the offspring. At the same time, it remains alone, from the time the nest is built and before the chicks are nurtured.

Food

Hummingbirds are a bird, the description of its life activity is somewhat different from our usual idea about the way of life of birds. First of all, it is interesting that the main food for them is nectar, which they extract themselves from flowers. Hummingbirds are able to hang in the air above the flower, making up to 80 strokes of wings in one second. Such an intense flight takes a lot of energy and energy, so whenever possible the birds sit down on the flower to drink nectar.

However, it is incorrect to believe that this is the only food product for these birds. For many species of hummingbirds, the main food (for some of them even exceptional) is insects of small size. Sometimes they eat captive cobwebs.

Hummingbird is a bird that spends a colossal amount of energy during flight, so it is forced to often eat. During the period of activity, food intake occurs every 10 minutes. It turns out that for a day these crumbs eat a quantity of food, by weight exceeding the weight of their own body.

Flight style

Another interesting feature of this tiny creature is that the hummingbird is a bird capable of maneuvering backwards. More than any representative of birds in the world such a flight is beyond the power. Scientists have determined that the flying muscles of the bird are about 25-30% of its total weight. The ability to move up and down and back is provided by a special wing design. Usually the wings of birds connect from the shoulders, elbow and wrist, in the hummingbirds they are attached only from the shoulders. All this allows them to quickly accelerate, hang in the air, land vertically, and during the courtship courts develop a swing speed of wings to hundreds of a second.

Hummingbird has a big and strong heart. It occupies almost half of the cavity of its body, and its dimensions are three times larger than its own stomach. Impressive and the frequency of heartbeat - 1000-1200 beats per minute.

Important biological function

By the way, feeding on nectar, hummingbirds perform one of the most significant biological roles - they pollinate flowers. The fact is that a number of flowers have such a structure that only this tiny bird can pollinate them. It is interesting that the shape of a flower, most often pollinated by a specific species of hummingbird, is directly related to the peculiarities of the structure of the bird's beak. That is, for different species of hummingbirds, their own forms of pecks are characteristic. So, if the flower is flat, then the bird should be short. Of the long inflorescences, similar to the funnel, you can get nectar only with the help of a narrow elongated beak.

The longest beak (up to 10 cm) has Mecheljuv. Its dimensions exceed almost twice the total length of the bird.

In addition, this organ hummingbird has other features, for example, a significantly bifurcated language, a bristly basis. Such individual differences allow this bird to put tongue out of its mouth much further than other birds.

Migration to cold edges

Some representatives of the hummingbirds migrate to mountain rock formations located in Canada, while the snow cover has not yet melted. At the same time, the temperature of the laid eggs is successfully preserved by birds at a level of 25 degrees. It is warmer than the ambient temperature. How does this happen?

The fact that the hummingbird is a bird that easily adapts to sufficiently low temperatures due to a unique feather barrier. One inch of their body has the largest number of feathers compared to other birds (excluding representatives of large species). In addition, hummingbirds can reduce metabolism to a state of lethargic sleep in order to conserve energy. Before they migrate, they accumulate a significant amount of fat. Thus, it is 72% of the bird's total weight. To accumulate such an amount of energy reserve can not be reached by every bird, because this requires a special adjustment of physiological mechanisms. Scientists have found out that hummingbird possesses the most metabolically active liver in the world. Another important feature is the high speed of glucose delivery. This is an invaluable characteristic for a living being, the main food of which is nectar.

Memory

Another interesting feature of hummingbirds is their ability to remember. Scientists have found that the bird in the repeated "flying around" the flowers avoids those that she devastated to the end. However, it returns to those plants where there is still nectar. This is an amazing fact, since the brain of the hummingbird studied (reddish-brown) has a grain size of rice. However, this does not prevent her from using his opportunities.

Hummingbirds are truly unique creatures. They differ from the rest of the birds with their structure, their way of life, their plumage, and, most importantly, their size. No bird resembling a hummingbird looks like it can compare with it on other parameters, for example, on the speed of flight. Therefore, for many years now it has been of special interest to nature lovers.

Perhaps you are wondering how much a hummingbird costs - a bird that is truly unique. However, if you want to buy it, it's better to think carefully, since the hummingbird, like any other wildlife representative, needs freedom to live a full life. Proper conditions for them can only be created in natural parks. Besides, it will be difficult to ensure proper nutrition.