The Tiny Titans of the Air Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Western

From Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America, our little humming friends are found only in the Western Hemisphere. However, for the greatest diversity of species you'll have to take a trip to Central America or the tropical Andes. Hummingbirds belong to the family Trochilidae, which includes about 366 recognized species spread over 113 genera, but only about 15 species of those regularly appear in the United States and Canada.

Answer: 99 times per second

Hummingbirds are famous for their rapid wingbeats, which produce that delightfully weird humming sound that gives them their name. While wingbeat rates vary among species, the smallest hummingbirds can achieve incredible speeds. For instance, male woodstars (Chaetocercus species) have been recorded beating their wings up to 99 times per second during hovering.

This wing speed enables hummingbirds to hover in place, fly backwards, and perform captivating aerial aerobatic stunts in the air. They are definitely the show-offs of the bird families.

Answer: Bee Hummingbird

The bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) holds the title of both the smallest hummingbird and the smallest bird in the world. Native only to Cuba, this tiny iridescent aviator is roughly the size of a large dragonfly, which means that someone missed a golden opportunity to name it the "dragonbird". Females reach about 6.1 cm (2.4 inches) in length and weigh around 2.6 grams, while males are even smaller at about 5.5 cm (2.2 inches) and 1.9 grams, which is about the weight of two paperclips. Despite their size, they're strong flyers with rapid wingbeats and high energy needs.

Their diminutive size also makes them the smallest known theropod dinosaur, so that's something you know now.

Answer: True

Sure! While we often associate hummingbirds with nectar alone, they actually rely heavily on small insects and spiders for a balanced diet. Nectar provides quick energy through sugars, but it lacks essential nutrients like protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. That's where the creepy-crawlies come in.

Hummingbirds catch tiny insects mid-air or pluck them from leaves, spiderwebs, or bark. During periods of high energy demand, like molting, breeding, or feeding chicks, insects can form a substantial portion of their diet. If you're one of those people, you can think of nectar as their energy drink, and insects as their protein bar.

Answer: True

Hummingbirds are naturally attracted to all warm colors, but a misconception lingers that they only have eyes for red. In an interesting twist however, in areas populated by humans, hummingbirds may be increasingly developing a learned preference for red, thanks to ol' Homo sapiens and its habit of putting out red hummingbird feeders. Because many feeders offering that sweet, sweet nectar tend to be red, hummingbirds have come to associate that color with food.

Answer: False

Though hummingbirds have famously fast metabolisms and must consume a ton of calories, they actually spend only about 15-20% of their day feeding. The rest of their time is divided among perching, preening, digesting, and resting. You know, hummingbird stuff.

Because of their famously fast wingbeats and because their hearts can race at over 1,200 beats per minute during flight, they do need to refuel often, but efficiency is paramount. They often return to known nectar sources or feeders in regular patterns, making the most of their energy while avoiding unnecessary exertion.

Answer: False

Yeah, that's false, since most hummingbird species are already living the dolce vita in the tropics. However, many North American species are long-distance travelers. The ruby-throated hummingbird, for instance, flies from the eastern U.S. all the way to Central America, sometimes crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single 500-mile flight (about 800 km).

Answer: False

Hummingbirds almost never build their nests on the ground. Instead, females construct tiny, cup-shaped nests high above it, typically anywhere from 5 to 90 feet (1.5 to 27 meters) up in trees, shrubs, or even on sheltered man-made structures. These nests are engineering marvels, often made from bits of plant down, leaves, moss, lichens, and spider silk, which gives the structure both strength and flexibility. Spider silk allows the nest to stretch as the chicks grow, helping keep them safe and secure.

Answer: True

Hummingbirds have incredibly short legs and itty bitty feet, adapted almost exclusively for perching rather than walking or hopping. While they can shuffle slightly along a branch, they are essentially incapable of walking or hopping on the ground. Their legs are so reduced in function that nearly all of their movement is done in flight, where they excel.

They're the only birds capable of sustained hovering, and they can even fly backwards.

Answer: True

Hummingbirds have a remarkably high metabolism and consume large amounts of fluid, primarily from nectar, which is about 80% water. In hot weather, or when feeding heavily, they may take in up to five times their body weight in water daily. To manage this, their kidneys are finely tuned for specialized filtration, allowing them to excrete excess water while conserving essential electrolytes.

It's a balancing act that keeps these little guys fueled and hydrated.