Super-Fast Wing Beats: Hummingbirds can beat their wings up to 80 times per second, which allows them to hover in place and fly in all directions, including backward.
Incredible Metabolism: They have the highest metabolism of any bird species, requiring them to consume about half their body weight in nectar each day.
Migratory Marvels: Some hummingbirds, like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, migrate up to 3,000 miles, including a non-stop 500-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico.
Iridescent Feathers: Their brilliant, shimmering colors are not due to pigments but to the microscopic structure of their feathers, which refracts light.
Long Tongues: Hummingbirds have extendable tongues that they use to lap up nectar at a rate of up to 13 times per second.
Fast Heart Rates: Their hearts can beat more than 1,200 times per minute when active and about 250 times per minute at rest.
Torpor State: To conserve energy, especially at night or during cold weather, hummingbirds can enter a state of torpor, significantly slowing their metabolism and lowering their body temperature.