Hummingbirds are record-breakers packed into a tiny body. Here are some of the most remarkable facts about how they fly, weigh, sleep and live.
How fast and how small
A hummingbird weighs only about 3 to 4 grams — less than a nickel — yet it is an aerial powerhouse. Its wings beat around 50 times per second (up to 80 in some species), it can fly at 25–30 mph and dive even faster, and its heart can race past 1,000 beats a minute in flight. They are also the only birds that can truly fly backward.
How hummingbirds sleep
To survive cold nights without starving, hummingbirds enter torpor — a deep, sleep-like state in which the heart rate and body temperature drop dramatically to save energy. A bird in torpor can look almost lifeless and may even hang upside down, then slowly warm back up and come to life in the morning.
Are hummingbirds friendly?
Hummingbirds are not tame pets, but they are curious and bold, and they quickly learn to trust a reliable food source. Many will feed just a few feet from a still, quiet person, and some come to recognise the human who keeps their feeder filled. If one buzzes close to investigate you, that is curiosity, not aggression.