Hummingbird

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are tiny birds that live in the Americas. They are the smallest birds in the world! The tiniest one is called the bee hummingbird, and it is about as big as a person's hand.

These little birds love to drink sweet liquid called nectar from flowers. They also eat tiny bugs. Their long beaks help them reach deep into flowers.

What makes hummingbirds special is how they fly. Their wings move very fast, making a buzzing sound. They can hover like a helicopter, move quickly in any direction, and even fly backwards! Because they use so much energy, they need to eat often.

One kind of hummingbird, the rufous hummingbird, travels very far—almost 4,000 miles each way between Alaska and Mexico twice every year! Hummingbirds have been around for a very long time and come in about 375 different kinds.

Most hummingbirds live in warm places in Central and South America, but you can find them as far north as Alaska and as far south as Tierra del Fuego. They have shiny, colorful feathers and fun names like sun gem, fairy, or sylph.

Hummingbirds build tiny cup-shaped nests using spider webs and plant fibers. They usually lay two very small white eggs, and the babies learn to fly after about three weeks.