The hummingbird is firmly associated in the minds of many with the smallest bird in the world.
And this is true - among the 330 species of hummingbirds, there are those that weigh no more than 2 grams and are only a few centimeters long.
But it would be a mistake to say that these feathered inhabitants of North and South America are remarkable only for their size. We invite you to learn other secrets of these unusual birds.
The fact is that hummingbirds are masters of aerobatics among birds.
They are capable of flying in any direction, hovering in midair, and performing vertical takeoffs and landings. Some other birds can also hover, but hummingbirds are unique in that they can remain motionless in midair for long periods of time without any apparent effort.
During "flight in place," hummingbirds must perform figure-eight movements with their wings to maintain a vertical position in the air. The frequency of their wings beats can reach 50-80 per second.
But even this is not the limit for this creature, because during courtship with a female, some species of hummingbirds can make more than 200 flaps per second.
These birds are capable of accelerating to maximum speed and stopping instantly in just a few seconds.
By the way, the maximum speed of some species of hummingbirds can reach 50 km/h, which is a significant figure for such a small bird.
Previously we talked about the rivers that are considered the cleanest in the world.
