27 Sep Uncommon Hummingbird Photos | Sept 2016
Uncommon Photos of Hummingbirds
Few people see these uncommon views of a Hummingbird.
For example, did you know that hummingbirds can open their bills as shown in the above photo. That’s important because 10% of this hummingbird’s diet consists of small bugs.
So if you see a hummingbird darting about over a pond or open space, it’s catching bugs.
Like other birds, hummingbirds practice stretching. So here is a bird fluffed up with its tail fluffed out.
For a bird, this represents a good, healthy stretch.
Hummingbirds have a forked tongue that’s lined with hair-like extensions (called lamellae). When pushed into a flower, the tip of the tongue separates and the lamellae extend outward. As the bird retracts its tongue, the tips come together and the lamellae roll inward, thereby trapping nectar within the tongue.
And they can lick at rates of up to 20 per second.
All that stretching pays off. As a result, a hummingbird can preen even its back feathers.
So here’s an example of being able to twist 180 degrees. Note that this bird has stretched so far that its downy feathers are now exposed.
Hummingbirds prefer to take baths on running water. That helps wash sticky nectar from their underside.
So here is a hummingbird taking a bath on the edge of a waterfall.
Much success,
Steve Kaye
See more examples of Bird Behavior at:
Kids Ask the Most Incredible Questions
Gular Fluttering Is for the Birds
Help Birds Tip
Keep Filling Hummingbird Feeders
Why: In many areas, hummingbirds stay active during winter. For example, some species are residents in the Western States. And in other areas, hummingbirds are passing through as migrants.
Birding Resources
Audubon has prepared suggestions for plants that attract birds. See: Plants for Birds
This excellent info can help you plan next year’s garden.
Did You Know?
The most effective way to help birds is to buy land.
Here are three organizations that excel at doing this.
Please visit their web sites to learn about the work they do.
Here’s an excellent book: The American Bird Conservancy Guide to Bird Conservation
You can help – Please share this blog with others.
Inspiring Respect for Nature, one bird at a time.
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Kris Risley
Posted at 15:47h, 30 JuneI absolutely love your unusual hummingbird photos. I’m a keen hummingbird observer and enjoy watching them preen and stretch. As always thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your gentle words and wonderful photos.