Tiny Brains: Despite their small size, hummingbirds have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any bird species. Their brains make up about 4.2% of their total body weight.
Memory Masters: Hummingbirds have excellent memories and can remember the locations of flowers, feeders, and even which flowers they've visited and how long it takes for the nectar to replenish.
Heart Rate: Their heart rates can exceed 1,200 beats per minute when active and drop to as low as 50-180 beats per minute during torpor (a hibernation-like state).
Flight Skills: They are the only birds that can fly backward, thanks to their unique ball-and-socket shoulder joints that allow a full range of motion in their wings.
Wing Speed: Their wings beat up to 80 times per second during regular flight and can reach up to 200 times per second during courtship displays.
Long Migrations: Some species, like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, migrate up to 3,000 miles, including a non-stop 500-mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
Tiny Nests: Their nests are often no bigger than a walnut and are made from plant down, spider silk, and lichen, which allows them to expand as the chicks grow.
Tongue Mechanics: Hummingbirds have tongues that can extend far beyond their beaks, and their tongues are fringed to help lap up nectar at a rate of 13 licks per second.