HUMMINGBIRDS 
The hummingbird spends the greater part of its time in the air, either 
darting about or “standing still in the air” in the vicinity of some flower. 
This latter feat is accomplished by means of the rapid vibrations of its 
wings. The hummingbird gets its name from the sound made by the vibra¬ 
tion. 
While sucking the nectar or drawing insects from a flower’s corolla, 
it regulates its position with its tail, which enables it to approach the flower 
or, in a manner of speaking, to fly backwards. The hummingbird, some¬ 
times no larger than a bumble bee, has a long, double tongue, useful in 
hunting insects. 
These little birds perch on trees and bushes when tired, rarely on 
rocks. They delight in preening themselves. Hummingbirds are unable to 
propel themselves by means of their legs when on level ground. When in 
the air, their wings move so fast that they are no more visible than the 
blades of an airplane propeller. The various species display every con¬ 
ceivable color or combination of colors, but these can be seen and appre¬ 
ciated only when the birds are motionless. 
Hummingbirds build a tiny nest of cotton-wool, spiders’ webs or other 
light substances. The nest is well built and usually cup-shaped; it is often 
covered with lichens for purposes of concealment. It may be situated on 
branches, or suspended from the tendril of a climbing plant. There is one 
record of the parent birds adding to the nest as the young increased in 
size. Two white eggs are laid. The young are born blind and naked. The 
female is most solicitous in caring for them, while the male is apparently 
indifferent. Male hummingbirds are very pugnacious. They will attack 
kingbirds and even hawks without apparent provocation, and they engage in 
furious fights among themselves. They will grasp one another’s beak and 
whirl one another, or they will chase about as if playing tag. 
In Mexico and South America hummingbirds are hunted for their 
beautiful skins. They are caught with bird-lime or killed by means of clay 
balls projected from blowpipes. 
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