Page 22 - World of Animals - Issue #31

Ruby-throated hummingbird
Aerial athletes
Hummingbirds are some of nature’s
best athletes. With amazing strength
and coordination, they are perfectly
equipped for a life spent in mid-air
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Diving to impress
The males take part in high
speed diving to impress Motherly love
females. They pull up at Females construct their small
the last second, flying in nest and usually lay two
a U-shape, while making to three tiny eggs. She will
loud noises. The females incubate them and then look
stand by and watch before after the young once they
choosing a male. have hatched, feeding them
and keeping them warm.
Leaving the nest
Once young hummingbirds
leave the nest and take
flight, they are on their own.
As a species, they are quite Catching insects
solitary and once the mother It was long thought that
has fulfilled her duties caring hummingbirds used their
for the helpless young, the
fledglings are on their own. long beaks like chopsticks
to pluck insects out of the
air, but we now know this
isn’t the case. Instead, they
give chase until the insect is
perfectly positioned for the
bird to clamp down using the
base of their beak.
Feeding
Hummingbirds have a select
few favourite flowers including
red buckeyes and trumpet
creepers. As well as the visible
light spectrum, they can see
in the blue-violet and near UV
range, which may help them
to identify which flowers are
good sources of food.
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