Hummingbird Season!

In many parts of North America this time of year we begin to see the arrival of the hummingbird. These little overachievers are rarely more than a few inches long and are easily recognized by their buzzing wings, which may beat up to 90 times per second!

As small as they are, these tiny birds are quite the travelers. Most North American varieties migrate up to 2000 miles south every winter, only to make the trip back every spring. At the 27mph speed most hummingbirds fly, it would take more than 3 days of nonstop flight to make that journey without stopping to rest, which the birds frequently do.

So, next time you see one of these little birds taking a rest on a branch, keep in mind just how far he has flown!

Photo: National Geographic