Hummingbirds
are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm
(3–5 in) range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird,
the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird.
They
are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating
wings which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air
at rapid wing flapping rates, typically around 50 times per second, but possibly as high as 200 times per second,
allowing them also to fly at speeds exceeding 15 m/s (54 km/h;
34 mph), backwards or upside down.
The
smallest species of hummingbird weighs less than a penny. (From wikipedia)
*****
Hummingbirds in slow motion are beautifully
epic. These tiny birds beat their wings so furiously it is hard to understand
what is going on. So Sam Hume and Simon Baxter visit a very special location in
Los Angeles and use a high speed camera to reveal some of the hummingbirds'
most intriguing behaviour.
