Hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) are the smallest mature birds, noted for their sustained hovering flight, a unique ability achieved through a symmetrical wing stroke that resembles a horizontal figure-eight. They are the only birds capable of flying in all directions, including backwards, and they get their name from the humming sound created by the rapid beating of their wings.
Due to the high energetic cost of hovering flight, hummingbirds have the highest mass-specific metabolic rate among all warm-blooded animals during flight. Their metabolism is fueled by a nectar-rich diet, which they obtain by inserting their long bills into flowers and extracting nectar with their specialized, elongated tongues. Moreover, to deliver maximum oxygen to the muscles, their heart rate reaches 250 to 500 beats per minute at rest and over 1,200 beats per minute during flight.1
These birds are restricted to the Americas, ranging from as far north as Alaska and Canada to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of the South American mainland, including the Caribbean Islands. According to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) World Bird List (2025), there are approximately 375 species of hummingbirds.
On average, most hummingbirds are around 3 to 5 in (7.5 to 13 cm) long.
The smallest species, the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), is only about 2.4 in (6 cm) long and weighs 0.071 oz (2 g). It is also the smallest living bird and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate.
The largest hummingbirds are the giant hummingbirds (Patagona gigas and Patagona peruviana), measuring 9.1 in (23 cm) in body length and 8.5 in (21.5 cm) in wingspan. They weigh between 0.60 and 1.09 oz (17 and 31 g).
With a compact body, a relatively large head, and a short neck, a hummingbird’s anatomy is shaped around its unique hovering flight and nectar feeding.
Most hummingbirds exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males being visually distinct from their female counterparts. The following traits distinguish male and female hummingbirds.
| Trait | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Size | In large-bodied species, males are typically larger than females | In small-bodied species, females are typically larger than males |
| Plumage | They have significantly vibrant feathers | They have relatively dull feathers |
| Bill | Have shorter, straighter bills | Have longer, more curved bills |
| Tail | Many have elongated or distinctively shaped tails that help in courtship | Their tails tend to be simpler |
The hummingbird family, Trochilidae, was first introduced by Irish zoologist Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1825. In traditional taxonomy, this family is placed within Apodiformes, an order that also includes swifts (family Apodidae) and treeswifts (family Hemiprocnidae). Fossil evidence suggests that hummingbirds diverged from the other two groups about 42 million years ago.2
According to Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World (4th edition, 2013), all species of hummingbirds are classified into 6 subfamilies.
The highest species richness of hummingbirds is found in the humid tropical and subtropical forests of the northern Andes across Central and South America, as well as in the adjacent foothills. According to the World Population Review (2026), Colombia has the maximum hummingbird species (165), followed by Ecuador (132), Peru (124), Venezuela (100), and Brazil (81). In North America, Mexico has 58 species, while the United States has 31, and Canada has only 8.
Despite their restricted geography, hummingbirds occupy a remarkably wide range of habitats. For example, the Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae) is found in the scorching Sonoran and Mojave Deserts,3 whereas the Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo) lives at cold elevations of about 12,286.7 to 16,017 ft (3,745 to 4,882 m) in the Andes.4
These birds are primarily nectarivorous, meaning nectar comprises most of their diet. Although nectar is sugar-rich and provides enough energy, it lacks proteins, lipids, and several essential amino acids. Thus, most hummingbirds supplement their diet with invertebrates, such as spiders, flies, wasps, and ants. In fact, for most hummingbirds, about 15% of their total foraging time is devoted to seeking arthropods, with the remaining time spent in search of flowers for nectar.5
A hummingbird usually hovers in front of a flower and inserts its long, narrow bill deep into it. The bird then extends its long, forked tongue into the flower, where the fringed tips spread open and fill with nectar. As the tongue pulls back, the fringes roll inward and the grooves close, trapping the nectar inside, almost like a micropump.
Interesting Fact:
Hummingbirds can flick their tongue around 13 times per second.6 In fact, a high-speed, high-magnification video reveals that the frequency could be as many as 20 times per second.7
Despite their high energy requirements, these birds spend only about 20% of their waking hours feeding, while about 75% is spent perched on branches, doing absolutely nothing.8
Unlike most birds that flap their wings up and down, generating lift only on the downstroke, hummingbirds hover in the air with a symmetrical flight stroke that resembles a horizontal figure-eight. They can rotate their wings up to 180 degrees, since their shoulder joints are extremely flexible, allowing the wings to flip over completely. Because of this rotation, hummingbirds generate lift on both forward and backward strokes.9
The wingbeat frequencies of hummingbirds vary with species size. For example, the giant hummingbird’s wings beat as few as 12 times per second, whereas smaller species, such as those in the genus Chaetocercus, have a wingbeat rate of 99.1 per second.10 On average, most hummingbirds have frequencies between 35 and 60 times per second.
Of the 375 known species, only 12 to 15 hummingbirds migrate. This is because most hummingbirds are concentrated in the tropical and subtropical belt, where temperature changes and food sources are relatively constant.
Many North American hummingbirds breed in the north during summer and migrate south in fall to warmer climates in Mexico and Central America. One of the most notable examples is the rufous hummingbird, which has one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird worldwide relative to its size. In spring, it moves north along the Pacific Coast to reach its breeding grounds in Alaska and the Yukon, then swings south again in late summer through the Rocky Mountains to winter in Mexico and along the Gulf Coast. The one-way trip from Alaska to Mexico covers around 3,900 miles (6,300 km), equivalent to roughly 78 million body lengths.
Most hummingbirds survive 3 to 5 years in the wild. The highest mortality occurs in the first year of a hummingbird’s life, due to predation or harsh weather. If a hummingbird survives its first year, its life expectancy increases significantly. For example, a female broad-tailed hummingbird from Colorado has been estimated to survive as long as 12 years in the wild.11
In the Northern Hemisphere, hummingbirds typically breed from March to August, when most wildflowers bloom. In the Southern Hemisphere, migratory species in temperate regions breed during their spring and summer months (September to February). However, many South American hummingbirds live near the equator, where breeding occurs year-round or follows local rainfall and flowering patterns rather than seasonal cycles.
During the breeding season, males perform elaborate aerial displays to attract females, including dramatic dives, loops, and figure-eight patterns. For example, males of Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) have been recorded to ascend about 115 ft (35 m) above the female, after which they dive at a speed of 89 ft/s (27 m/s), producing a high-pitched sound near the female.12
If the female bird is impressed, she perches and signals her receptivity through specific vocalizations or postures. The pair then mates for a brief period, usually lasting only 3 to 5 seconds, after which the male leaves and plays no role in nesting or raising young.13
The female typically lays two white, pea-sized eggs (about 1 cm long), usually 1 to 3 days apart. Depending on the species, the eggs are then incubated for 14 to 23 days, after which they hatch into naked, blind hatchlings. The mother inserts her bill into the mouths of her hatchlings, feeding them small arthropods and nectar. In 18 to 22 more days, the chicks become fully feathered and begin their first flights as fledglings. These fledglings then disperse from the natal area and often join loose groups at rich food sources. They gradually develop adult plumage and attain reproductive maturity at about one year of age.14
Birds: Their biggest threats are birds of prey, such as sharp-shinned hawks and American kestrels, which are fast enough to snatch a hummingbird mid-air. Other birds, including roadrunners, crows, jays, and shrikes, may also occasionally hunt them.
Insects: The most common insect predator is the praying mantis, which stealthily waits on flowers before rapidly pinning the bird down with its spiked forelegs. They may also become trapped in spider webs, where the spider may eventually kill them.
Mammals: Cats are the primary mammalian predators of these birds. Others, like squirrels, rats, chipmunks, and weasels, occasionally eat eggs or nestlings.
Reptiles: Though rare, hummingbirds may also be hunted by some snakes and bullfrogs.
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