The ruby-throated hummingbird generally beats its wings 50 to 75 times each second—even faster during courtship displays! The rapid wing movement creates the hummingbird’s “hum.”
Photo credit: Cvalentine at Flickr.com

Hummingbirds live only in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the tropics. Scientists have named about 320 species, and new ones are still being found. Only 15 range into the US and Canada, and only one of these, the ruby-throated hummingbird, nests in the eastern half of North America. Members of four western species will pass through Minnesota and some eastern states during their migrations.

Hummingbirds are extremely specialized in their structure and behavior. Beaks and tongues vary widely from species to species. The lengths and shapes are adapted for obtaining nectar in a great variety of flowers. In the tropics, some species of hummingbird are adapted to live off of just one species of plant. (North American species tend to be generalists, feeding off of many different plant species.) Like many hummers, the ruby-throat also eats a variety of small insects.

Hummingbirds have unique breast and wing muscles attached to an enlarged breast bone. Unique shoulder sockets allow extreme rotation of the wings. This provides power on both the up- and down-strokes as they flap, and allows for forward and backward flight. Ruby-throated hummingbirds fly at a top speed of 28 mph.

All that flapping burns up a lot of energy, and hummingbirds have a very high metabolic rate. At night, however, their internal engines fall dormant to conserve energy. Some species in the mountains of South America may go into extended periods of dormancy, similar to hibernation.

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