The impossible odyssey of the hummingbird

ALAJUELA, COSTA RICA – JANUARY 15: A Green Hermit is pictured at a Hummingbird feeding station on January 15, 2016 in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Of the 338 known…

ALAJUELA, COSTA RICA – JANUARY 15: A Green Hermit is pictured at a Hummingbird feeding station on January 15, 2016 in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Of the 338 known species of Hummingbird worldwide there are around 50 in Costa Rica. Hummingbirds are named for the distinctive sound made by their tiny beating wings, and are admired for their vibrantly coloured iridescent plumage. Their ability to hover, with wings beating between 12 and 90 times a second, and to fly backwards makes them different from all other birds. They are some of the smallest birds in the world and have the highest metabolic rate of any bird with a heart rate that can exceed 1,200 beats a minute. They can hear and see better than humans, but have a poor sense of smell. Hummingbirds eat at least half their body weight in food every day, darting between flowers to lap up nectar. They are generally solitary, very territorial and can be incredibly aggressive towards other birds. At night they go into a state of torpor to help conserve energy, and occasionally can be found sleeping upside down like bats on branches. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

by: Julian Saldierna

Posted: Mar 3, 2023 / 11:01 PM CST

Updated: Mar 3, 2023 / 11:01 PM CST

Annette Prince, Director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, joins Lisa Dent to talk about hummingbirds, sandhill cranes, and many more birds coming in to the States. Annette tells Lisa about the annual migration patterns of these birds and the incredible journey they endure to return north.

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