HUMMINGBIRD FLIGHT
By Anna McClatchey
March 26, 2000
Hummingbirds are an amazing kind of bird. They are fast, accurate, noisy, and able to fly in many directions.
Hummingbirds are a fast kind of bird. They flap their wings 60-70 times per second. They can hover and go slow or fast like a rocket. They can even double their speed while chasing each other!
Hummingbirds can fly 500 minutes or even more without a break! They can fly 10-40 feet high.
The hummingbird is an accurate flyer. It is unable to walk. It even has to fly to go two inches. While chasing each other, hummingbirds never hit anything. A mother hummingbird hovers gently while landing on her tiny eggs. She never breaks the eggs.
Because it can not walk, the hummingbird must rely on its wings to do many things. It never perches on the ground, but it flies in the air and keeps balance with its wings. It never uses camouflage, but relies on its speed to get away from danger. It hovers while inserting its beak to lick up nectar from flowers and feeders.
The hummingbird flies in many directions. Because its wings beat in a figure eight, it can fly like a helicopter. It can fly up, down, forward, backward, left, right and upside down like a helicopter. It can fly with its tail forward and head back. It catches insects to eat by flying up and forward while its wings beat in a figure 8.
As it is flying it buzzes like a hornet. This is caused by its wings beating the air. This noise is where it gets its name.
God gave the hummingbird the ability to fly. He also gave it the speed and skill with which to live.
References
David, Sharon. "Wild life in my backyard". 2 Feb. 2000. http://palov.psyc.queensu.ca~davids/hummers.html.
"Debbie’s Tips for Attracting and Feeding Hummingbirds". 2 Feb, 2000. http://www.birdwatchers.com / debtips.html.
"Hummingbird Behavior". 2 Feb. 2000. http://www.portal productions.com /h/ behavior.htm.
"Hummingbird Ecology". 2 Feb. 2000. http://www.portal productions.com/h/qa/ecology.html.
"Hummingbirds." World Book Encyclopedia. Field Enterprises Education Corporation. Chicago: 1966.
Scheithauer, Walter. Hummingbirds. London; Arthur Barker Limited, 1967.