Hummingbirds zoom in for a quick drink on a hot day

Hummingbirds are one of the most amazing species that you are likely to see in North America. They are tiny, but lightning quick. Although there are 366 species of hummingbirds worldwide and they can range as far north as Alaska, most are found in Central and South America. Many are found throughout North America during the warmer months.
To enable such rapid flight, they also must have rapid metabolisms. They require such a constant food supply that they consume calories without pause during the day. At night, they have adapted to lowering their metabolisms to 1/15th of their normal rate to enable them to survive several hours without food.
While hovering, their wings beat 12 times per second for some species and as many as 80 times per second for others. They are capable of flight speeds up to 54km/h (34mph).
Hummingbirds nest in tiny cup shaped structures made from plant fibres, spider webs, lichens, and moss. The female lays to eggs that are pea shaped. They are the smallest eggs of any bird. The female incubates the eggs for 2-3 weeks before they hatch. Generally, they live 3-5 years, although the bee hummingbird, the smallest species, lives 7-10 years.
These hummingbirds frequent a back yard bird feeder in Southern Ontario.