The majority of this bird species which is said to be of the family Trochilidae have been sighted in tropical Central and South America.
It is said that the name of the Humming Bird derives from the characteristic hum made by their flapping wings.
In addition to being capable of sustained hovering, these birds also have the amazing ability to fly backwards, being the only group of birds able to do so. A typical description of a Humming Bird is a bird with a long, thin bill. But what is intriguing to note is that the bill, combined with an extendable, bifurcated tongue evolves in order to allow the bird to feed upon nectar deep within flowers.
In fact, a Humming Bird’s bill can be opened wide even as the lower half (mandible) also has the ability to flex downward to create an even wider opening, facilitating the capture of flying insects in the mouth rather than at the tip of the bill.
Researchers have been able to uncover that there are between 325 and 340 species of Humming Birds, with the Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) being arguably the smallest bird in the world. It is said that this bird weighs 1.8 grams (g) and measures about five centimetres (cm).
And then there is the average sized Rufous Humming Bird (Selasphorus rufus) which weighs approximately three grams and has a length of 10 to 12 cm.
The largest of this bird species is the Giant Humming Bird (Patagona gigas) and it is said that some can weigh as much as 24 g and measure around 21.5 cm.
