Hummingbird Versus Helicopter

As I observed its maneuvers, I could not help but think that the nearest man has got to the design of a hummingbird is a helicopter. And yet, what a clumsy contraption it seems in comparison!

Ever since that day some five years ago, I have been intrigued by the beauty and design of the hummingbird. And I have discovered more about these tiny bundles of design and energy. For example, according to the book Hummingbirds: Their Life and Behavior, there are "approximately 338 species and 116 genera of the family Trochilidae, the smallest birds in the world." In fact, some are so small they weigh less than a British penny or U.S. cent and are about the size of a bumblebee. The largest are about eight inches in length.

Returning to the helicopter comparison--I checked with Sikorsky Aircraft to find out how many revolutions per minute the rotor blades make as a helicopter flies. The answer was between 200 and 300 revolutions per minute. And the hummingbird? While hovering, some of them achieve a wingbeat of 78 times per second, or 4,680 beats per minute!

So Much to Learn

Some of the names it is given in other languages are very expressive. The Portuguese call it beija flor, which means "flower kisser." The Spanish call it chupaflor, which means "flowersucker." In Italian it is colibrì, and it is also known as the uccello mosca, the "flybird," because of its tiny size.

Have you ever seen a hummingbird in your part of the world? Unless you live in the Western Hemisphere, you will not have that privilege. Its range stretches from Alaska down through most of the United States, across Mexico and the Caribbean, and into South America. But whether you have seen one or not, you can imagine my thrill at seeing and hearing my very first hummingbird.

In all parts of the earth there are amazing creatures that are stunning with their design and beauty. Even those we may consider to be ugly still display awesome design. Yet, to know all of them and understand them is too big a task for so short a life. Just to know everything there is to know about hummingbirds would take years of study and observation. And yet, some say that everlasting life would be boring--even with so much to learn!

About the Author

Did you find those tips useful ? You can learn a lot more here." Click here

Income Opportunity: click here!