Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are small, often tiny birds of the Americas, named after the noise made by their extremely rapid wingbeats. There are 320 species of hummingbirds, which make up the family Trochilidae.

Hummingbirds are spectacularly beautiful birds, because of the vivid iridescence of their feathers. They are such accomplished fliers that they can aggressively drive away much larger, predatory birds. Invariably, people who have had the opportunity to watch hummingbirds regularly develop a loyal admiration for these lovely sprites.

Hummingbirds are widely distributed in the Americas, occurring from Tierra del Fuego in the south, to the subarctic of Alaska and Canada in the north. However, the greatest richness of hummingbird species occurs in the tropics, especially in forests and associated, disturbed habitats where flowers may be relatively abundant.