Hummingbirds

357Snowball · 791480. Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:27 am

Humming birds are beautiful creatures, and I aquired my main snippets of knowledge about them from the wonderful book "Children's Miscellany"; "The average hummingbird weighs less than a small coin. Its newborn are the size of tiny moths and its nest is the size of a walnut."
If anyone could confirm, contradict or add to this information, I would be very grateful :)

CB27 · 791588. Sun Feb 27, 2011 2:24 pm

I seem to recall that Hummingbirds prefer flowers with red petals, something to do with their sight.

Ainee · 791612. Sun Feb 27, 2011 4:00 pm

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=hummingbird+%2b+moth&FORM=IGRE1

I really do like hummingbird hawk moths and their cousins: here is a family photo gallery to enjoy.

I have seen several: one was displaying itself in the window (an Emerald one) of the finest shop in Venice for antique lace, negligees and linen; Emilia's in Burano. I did go in and rescue it, but it was such a lovely setting for such a lovely thing, that I wished I had a camera.

Ainee

bobwilson · 791665. Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:27 pm

Aren't hummingbirds the only ones that can fly backwards? Or is that an urban myth?

PDR · 791680. Sun Feb 27, 2011 7:30 pm

I believe it's true. The dynamics of the wing motion are quite involved, but essentially they are the only birds which can develop lift on the back-stroke as well as the fore-stroke of the wing. The remainder use the forestroke to develop lift and the back-stroke to develop thrust. Hummingbirds can do this because the wing can pivot around the "spar" and asume a cambered shape in either direction.

PDR

Posital · 791744. Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:24 am

It's a myth - I see UK native birds regularly fly backwards and hover at our bird feeder. I've seen them hover for a few seconds - but backwards, not for any great period.

You might notice the lack of effect a landing bird can have on something hanging or a small twig. They need to create reverse thrust for this to be possible.

I think they simply change the attitude of their body to be more upright.

I first saw those moths some time ago in France - they are amazing. But seeing the iridescent plumage of the birds in their natural habitat as they fly around you is even better: as you trundle off to work in the morning.

soup · 791847. Mon Feb 28, 2011 12:51 pm

Posital · 791869. Mon Feb 28, 2011 2:48 pm

Nope - definitely backwards - but I possibly overstated the regularity of it - as I'm not a twitcher by any means. No wind to speak of - it's a definite voluntary move to avoid another who got there first.

Just watch a crowded bird feeder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldd4xOFKFi8&NR=1
There's lots of turning - possibly hovering - possibly backwards...

But not backwards or hovering in the same way hummingbirds do it...