Hummingbirds

The shining jewels of the jungle are special birds that deserve our attention not only because these small birds shimmer in all imaginable colors, but also because they are absolute flight acrobats. Hummingbirds are exclusively native to the American continent. In Costa Rica, 54 of the 368 different hummingbird species are found. 

The plumage of the small birds often shines in the brightest colors which are created by interference. When light hits the horned lamellae on the plumage at a certain angle the light is reflected back and appears to the observer in the most dazzling colors depending on the angle of view. The flight of the hummingbird is also special. In buzz flight, 40 to 50 wing beats per second, the flying acrobats are extremely agile and are the only bird species on earth that can fly backwards. In relation to their body size, they are also probably the fastest vertebrates in the world. Some species move at speeds of about 385 body lengths per second. Peregrine falcons manage about 200 body lengths per second, and fighter jets about 40 times their total length. Their hearts beat extremely fast (400 to 500 times per minute) and is relatively large compared to the size of the bird’s body. 

Hummingbirds feed mainly on flower nectar. Only the sweet liquid allows the animals such a fast-paced lifestyle. Small insects and spiders are sometimes on their menu. After a female has chosen a male based on the provocative courtship dance, she builds a small, soft nest out of cobwebs, moss and lichen. In this she lays two eggs and incubates them from 14 to 19 days. Once the little hummingbirds have hatched they are fed up to 140 times a day in some cases. To make it more difficult for potential predators to find the nest, the female lets herself slide to the ground like a leaf.