13 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Hummingbirds

© Lisa J. Swanson (B&B reader)

From The Family Handyman

They come back home

© Gary Robinette (B&B reader)

If you think the same hummingbirds come to your feeders and flowers every year, you might be right! Banding research shows they are likely to return to the area where they hatched. 

They have long tongues

© Carl Leichtenberger (B&B reader)

A hummingbird uses its tongue, which functions as a tiny pump, to suck the sought-after sweet liquid from feeders and flowers.

They travel far

© Robert Howson (B&B reader)

Rufous hummingbirds migrate farther than any other North American species. They travel 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska every Spring.

Their homes are tiny

© Desiree D. Skatvold (B&B reader)

The average nest is about the size of a half-dollar coin. The eggs inside the tiny structure look like mini white jelly beans.

They are small but mighty

© Rod Marr (B&B reader)

Hummingbirds can be very territorial and will try to protect their food sources: both flowers and feeders. They spend a lot of time chasing other birds away.

They do everything fast

© Kristi Wenger Stoltzfus (B&B reader)

While resting, the average 4-inch hummingbird takes about 150 breaths per minute.

They can fly backwards

© Judy Evans (B&B reader)

They can hover in midair at flowers and feeders, and they're the only birds that can fly backward. Their wings move in a figure-eight pattern, which allows them to maneuver with ease.

They can sing, too

© Deb Forster (B&B reader)

Some species, specifically male Anna's and Costa's, are regular singers. With other species, the most common sounds are aggressive calls, which resemble chattering or squealing. You'll hear them when several hummingbirds are gathered near a food source.

Their wings beat at incredible speed

© Jeanette Brooks-Milano

Known for erratic movements, these agile birds beat their wings more than 50 times per second, and even faster in extreme flight mode.

They travel alone

© Lonna Ours (B&B reader)

Hummingbirds are solitary migrants, so you won't see them traveling in flocks. Wintering grounds vary by species, but most ruby-throats spend the cold months between southern Mexico and northern Panama.

They don't just eat nectar

© Tammi Elbert (B&B reader)

You typically see hummingbirds at nectar blooms and sugar-water feeders, but they also eat tree sap and small insects when flowers are hard to find in the wild.

They like moving water

© Lisa J. Swanson (B&B reader)

A birdbath with a small mister, bubbler, or sprayer attracts hummingbirds. It's a rare sight, but they might fly through the mist of a lawn sprinklers, too!

They build nests fast

© Jennifer Plunkett (B&B reader)

It takes less than a week (about five to seven days) for a hummingbird to build its nest. Built by females only, nests are made of lichen, moss, and spiderwebs.