Category: Hummingbirds

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the state of Texas has the greatest number of bird species found here over any other state.  Texas and Arizona each have an equally diverse hummingbird population.  So, what explains the diversity of our states bird population?  This can be explained by a wide variety of factors including the diverse habitat found throughout the state, our geography, and our location.

All this is very good news for the hummingbird enthusiast.  No matter where you live within the state, every individual will have the opportunity to enjoy at least two species of hummingbirds within their own county.  Some regions of the state will have 16 different species of hummingbirds found there.

Spring is when you will have the greatest opportunity to view the vast majority of these hummingbird species, but there are a few hummingbird species which are known to spend the winter in Texas.  The most common to do this are the Rufous and the Black-chinned hummingbirds.  It is rare but you will also occasionally find Allen’s, Anna’s, Calliope, Costa’s, Broad-tailed and Buff-bellied hummingbirds.

Even though the hummingbird is extremely small in size, they have the most feathers per square inch of any other bird.  An average size hummingbird has approximately 940 feathers.  Hummingbirds have no down feathers and thus loose body heat quite rapidly.  The nornal body temperature of a hummingbird is 105 degrees, but at night when in a state of torpor it can drop to approximately 66.2 degrees.  Hummingbird feathers are iridescent and therefore require sunlight to show color.

• The Calliope Hummingbird is the smalled bird to be found in both Canada and the United States.
• The genus name of this species means"little star."
• The Calliope Hummingbird is the only member of the Stellula genus.
• This hummingbird is known to leave its breeding grounds quite early compared to other birds, but even still they do not do so as early as the Rufous Hummingbird.  It is belived that the Calliope Hummingbirds leave their breeding grounds as early as they do to enable them to take advantage of the wildflowers that are blooming in the western mountains of North America at that time.
• This hummingbird winters in Mexico.

• The Blue-throated Hummingbird is quite unique among most North American hummingbirds, because the Blue-throated Hummingbird does not have an aerial display. Instead, the male uses several different vocalizations to defend its territory and attract mates.
• The female Blue-throated Hummingbird gives a special call that appears to indicate that she is ready to mate. It is the female of this species that makes a series of short flights that appear to be a display to the male before copulation.
• The Blue-throated Hummingbird is the largest North American hummingbird species, and thus the Blue-throated Hummingbird beats its wings about half as fast as the smaller species. It beats it wings 23 times a second while hovering.
• The Blue-throated Hummingbird is about three times heavier than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

The Sword-billed Hummingbird has the longestest beak of any other bird in proportion to its body size.  Whenever the sword billed Hummingbird perches, it will often hold its beak almost vertical because this helps reduce the amount of strain on the bird’s neck.  The sword-billed Hummingbird’s beak is long and tubelike in shape.