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The broad-tailed hummingbird may be small, but it can do incredible things. The broad-tailed hummingbird is a migratory bird, meaning it travels south to Mexico for the winter and returns north to the Rocky Mountains for the summer. During the migration, the hummingbird may fly thousands of miles each year. They come back to the high Rocky Mountains for the large numbers of wildflowers that take over the hillsides in the late spring and summer. The hummingbird flies from flower to flower and drinks the sweet nectar. The hummingbird also eats many small flying insects for protein. It can flap its wings 40 to 50 times a second, allowing the bird to hover in the air and fly in every direction. Flying requires lots of energy and the hummingbird must get nectar from many flowers. The male humminbird's feathers may shine bright green on the back and bright reddish pink by the throat. The bright colors helps attract females.
The broad-tailed hummingbird has made an even more amazing adaption to live in the mountains. Night-time temperatures may drop more than 30 degrees F from the day-time high temperatures. This drop in temperatures would be deadly for many birds. Yet, the tiny broad-tailed hummingbird has found a way to slow down its heart beat and let its body temperature drop down to 54 degrees F. This is called torpor and saves the hummingbird lots of energy overnight. When the sun rises and heats the land again, the hummingbird's temperature returns to normal and flies around looking for nectar and small flying insects.
Considering flying thousands of miles each year on their migration, hovering in mid-air and flying in every direction, and slowing its heart beat down and cooling its body down every night, the tiny broad-tailed hummingbird is one awesomely adapted bird.
Sources of information and to find more information: All About Birds, Bird Watching Bliss, CSU NDIS
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