About Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are a fascinating group of birds that includes over 300 species, making them the world's second largest family of birds (the largest family of birds is the flycatcher family). The hummingbird family includes the world's smallest species of bird, the Cuban Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), which measures a mere 5-6 cm in length.
Hummingbirds have the unique ability among birds to be able to fly in any direction and hover in mid-air. Hummingbirds have narrow beaks and long thin tongues which enable them to sip nectar from a variety of flowers.
Hummingbirds weigh between 2 and 20 grams. They have only 10 primary feathers, 6 to 7 secondary feathers, 10 rectrices (usually). Their sternum is very large in proportion to their size, when compared to that of other bird species.
Sources
For a list of sources used in the creation of this visual guide, please see the Recommended Reading page.