View allAll Photos Tagged Hummingbird
As of yesterday the hummingbird babies have fledged. These were taken in the last couple of days before they left the nest. They got to be quite cute. I feel kind of lucky that I got to photograph their little lives for a while. I hope you have the time to visit the set. There aren't that many photos.
Thank you, in advance, to those of you who take a moment to leave a comment and/or fave my photo. I appreciate it tremendously.
Did you know:
Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world.
A hummingbird's brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.
Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill.
Hummingbirds can hear better than humans.
Hummingbirds can see farther than humans.
Hummingbirds cannot walk or hop, though their feet can be used to scoot sideways while they are perched.
Hummingbirds have 1,000-1,500 feathers, the fewest number of feathers of any bird species in the world.
From 25-30 percent of a hummingbird’s weight is in its pectoral muscles, the muscles principally responsible for flight.
A hummingbird’s maximum forward flight speed is 30 miles per hour, though the birds can reach up to 60 miles per hour in a dive.
Hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs of all birds. They measure less than 1/2 inch long but may represent as much as 10 percent of the mother’s weight at the time the eggs are laid.
A hummingbird must consume approximately 1/2 of its weight in sugar daily, and the average hummingbird feeds 5-8 times per hour.
Hummingbirds have no sense of smell but have very keen eyesight.
Hummingbirds do not suck nectar through their long bills, they lick it with fringed, forked tongues.
A hummingbird can lick 10-15 times per second while feeding.
Despite their small size, hummingbirds are one of the most aggressive bird species and will regularly attack jays, crows and hawks that infringe on their territory.
Hummingbirds hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12–80 times per second (depending on the species).
To conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they have the ability to go into a hibernation-like state where their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate.
Hummingbirds have tiny hairs on the tip of the tongue to help lap up nectar.
An average hummingbird’s heart rate is more than 1,200 beats per minute.
At rest, a hummingbird takes an average of 250 breaths per minute.
Also, a special thanks to Anthony Gliozzo for pointing out that the hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards. Great observation, Anthony, and thanks !
Another new migrant at the feeders today. It is so miserably HOT that they aren't feeding that much until the light gets really bad.
Butterfly Bush flowers in the background.
**********************GEEK ALERT********************************************
For canon users - this is the way I set the camera for the shot
I use the custom modes almost exclusively for hummingbirds. I set C3 to AV when there are clouds or Manual when the sky is clear. I use the 5 center focus points (in a cross) and shoot with AI servo focus. + 1/3 to 2/3 depending on the background. ISO between 400 and 800 at f/8 or f/9 to get 1/800 to 1/1250 shutter speed.
I set C2 to AV with center point focus on one-time focus in case something lands or I need to shot something else. If the sun is coming in and out a lot, I use C2 set as above, but with a higher ISO and switch between C2 and C1 depending on if the sun is out. In that case, I set C3 to the single point setting. I switch between modes depending on whether the sun is out or I am trying to shoot something else.
It only takes a little practice to use the C1,2,3 settings, but it gives you the ability to use different ISO, focus points, and focus modes for each mode, which you can't do otherwise. Also, it is easy to swich between modes when you have something else to shoot "in an emergency"
I do the same thing when shooting Bald Eagles. C1 for Adults in flight, C2 for Juveniles in flight, C3 for fishing on the water. If the light is really harsh, I may even use bracketing on C1. It's almost like carrying 3 different cameras.
© Steve Byland 2010 all rights reserved
Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited.
Please do not blog this without contacting me first.
I didn't know we had hummingbirds in New York, but now I do. This small bird flashed in front of me at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and I already had my long lens ready to shoot butterflies. I should have zoomed in more, but I was trying to get off as many shots as possible. The hummingbird only hovered a few moments and then was gone.
More photos of hummingbirds are in my set
More photos from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are in my set
More photos of flowers are in my set
Hummingbird Finca Alejandria, near Cali, August 2017, not sure of the ID because my book got damaged
For weeks i was dreaming of a hummingbird shot, now i have been doing lots since 3 days.. i have so many ;-) But to my taste , this is the best one yet..right here..maybe, i don't know i have too many now ;-) i didn't do nothing except taking of 2 white reflection in the eyes from the flashes. I did not anything, and that's very cool if you ask me, usually a little contrast, exposure, you know..this one is good for contest ;-) Sure i can make the colors pop etc, but this is in camera..
I hung a Humming bird feeder outside my family room window and the bird traffic is unreal. They prefer this feeder to the others I have hung on my porches. Photo taken through the window.
there were so many at my parents house and they never stopped moving i took so many shots, but these are the best.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have many skeletal and flight muscle adaptations which allow the bird great agility in flight. Muscles make up 25-30% of their body weight, and they have long, bladelike wings that, unlike the wings of other birds, connect to the body only from the shoulder joint. This adaptation allows the wing to rotate almost 180°, enabling the bird to fly not only forward but also straight up and down, sideways, and backwards, and to hover in front of flowers as it feeds on nectar and insects.
During hovering, ruby-throated hummingbird wings beat 55x/sec, 61x/sec when moving backwards, and at least 75x/sec when moving forward.