Saturday, August 25, 2012

A LESSON IN MINITURIZATION

Consider this little hummingbird. It is hatched from an egg no larger than a small pea. Each wing is aproximately 3/4” long, yet the feathers are constructed just like a larger birds. Its feet are about 1/8” wide, yet they have very sharp and well defined claws. Its wings flap 80 times per second in normal flight and up to 200 times per second in a power dive. It can fly 30 miles per hour. It must consume five times its weight in nectar and insects (which it catches inflight) each day. And, yes, its beak opens and, no, it doesn't suck up the nectar through its beak like a straw...it has a long and tiny tongue that laps up the liquid. Many of our plants are pollinated by this little workhorse, and in spite of its diminutive size it lives about five years. It is a living, breathing marvel of miniturization.



Nikon D7000, Nikkor 70-300 VR. Shutter priority at 1/1500, ISO 800, full sun manual white balance.

2 comments:

Joan said...

I marvel at them each time they visit my feeder. Sometimes they will just stop in front of me and hover, looking me right in the face, and I am never sure if I should be afraid.

Animal Safari said...

Beautiful birds. They are part of us as they come in different colors and at different times. Beautiful amazing short.
We just need to love them in order to appreciate them.