Birds
There are 300 species of hummingbirds, all found in the western hemisphere, the majority of which live in Central and South America. Hummingbirds are adapted to be excellent pollinators: they have long beaks and tube-like tongues to drink the nectar from conical flowers, and in doing so pollinate over 7,000 species of plants. They need this dense source of calories, drinking up to twice their weight daily, to fuel their active metabolisms.
DID YOU KNOW: Hummingbirds flap their wings flap 20-80 times per second, allowing them to hover and even fly backwards, the only bird capable of doing so!
Hummingbirds’ hearts beat up to 1260 times per minute, and when drinking pollen their tongues lick 10-15 times per second. They mostly consume small insects as their source of protein.
Most North American hummingbird species are migratory. The Roufus Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) travels farther than any hummingbird. Its enormous journey spans from Mexico to Alaska, the northernmost breeding ground of any species of hummingbird. It loops north up along the Pacific coast, then south through the Rocky Mountains, completing a round-trip that is almost 8,000 miles in length.
In order to attract hummingbirds and help them thrive, plant native flowers in your yard! Hummingbirds prefer brightly colored flowers, especially red or pink. They also will drink out of a feeder filled with sugar water: never put anything in your feeder besides white sugar and water, and clean it regularly to prevent the spread of diseases.
Sources
Hummingbirds as Pollinators
How to Attract
Rufous Hummingbird