Hummingbirds are INDEED one of my favorite animal. They are beautiful, unique, small, scientifically interesting to learn and fun to draw!
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| Huitzilopochtli Even, from the myth and culture side; THEY ARE SMALL YET MIGHTY. |
The Aztec god of war Huitzilopochtli is often depicted as a hummingbird. It was also believed that fallen warriors would return to earth as Hummingbirds and butterflies. The Nahuatl word huitzil (hummingbird) is an onomatopoeic word derived from the sounds of the hummingbird's wing-beasts and zooming flight (Wikipedia).
According to Defender of Wildlife, here're some facts about Hummingbirds:
BASIC FACTS ABOUT HUMMINGBIRD
Hummingbirds are small, colorful birds with iridescent feathers. Their name comes from the fact that they flap their wings so fast (about 80 times per second) that they make a humming noise. Hummingbirds can fly right, left, up, down, backwards, and even upside down. They are also able to hover by flapping their wings in a figure-8 pattern. They have a specialized long and tapered bill that is used to obtain nectar from the center of long, tubular flowers. The hummingbird’s feet are used for perching only, and are not used for hopping or walking.
DIET
Hummingbirds primarily eat flower nectar, tree sap, insects and
pollen.
The hummingbird’s fast breathing rate, fast heartbeat and high
body temperature require that they eat often. They also require an enormous
amount of food each day. Hummingbirds have a long tongue which they use to lick
their food at a rate of up to 13 licks per second.
POPULATION
It is difficult to estimate population numbers since there are
many different species spanning a large geographic area.
RANGE
Hummingbirds are found only in the Western Hemisphere, from
southeastern Alaska to southern Chile, although most live in the tropics. There
are more than 300 species of hummingbirds, 12 of which summer in North America
and winter in tropical areas.
BEHAVIOR
Like other birds, hummingbirds communicate via visual displays.
Hummingbirds are very territorial and have been observed chasing each other and
even larger birds such as hawks away from their territories.
Reproduction
Gestation: 13-22
days.
Clutch size: Between
1-3 eggs.
The young start to fly in 18 to 30 days.
THREATS
Historically hummingbirds were killed for their feathers, today
they face different but equally devastating threats. Habitat loss and
destruction are the hummingbird’s main threats. As hummingbirds are often
specially adapted to each unique habitat, each species of hummingbird currently
listed as vulnerable or endangered on the IUCN red list are all threatened
due to habitat destruction and loss.
The earth's changing temperatures due to climate change are
affecting hummingbird migratory patterns, causing different species to be
spotted in locations well outside their normal range, where it may be harder
for them to find food.
I really want to participate and donate tooooooooo but I'm here at Indonesia :'(
annnndddd lastly!
Here's my drawing dedicated to all Hummingbird lovers!
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| Colour pencils and marker, alberta theofila 24/3/2018 |
Cheers,
albertatheofila
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