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Because of this motion, a hummingbird's wings are no doubt a powerhouse! However, their shoulder has a motion of 180 degrees.
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Unlike other birds, a hummingbird's elbows and wrists bones are fused together. These muscles make up a larger portion of their weight – about 10% more than other flying birds. The muscular system is one of the most important – especially the chest and wing muscles that allow them to fly. They do this by lowering their body temperature from a normal 105 degrees F, down to 70 degrees F. The state, known as torpor, allows hummingbirds to conserve energy and lower their basal metabolic rate. 250 beats per minute is their average heart rate, which increases to about 1,220 beats per minute in flight. Hummingbirds to some extent have the largest heart of all animals. They can also store up to 45% of fat in their livers around the time of migration, which explains their ability to expend such large amounts of energy. The digestive system of hummingbirds is made up of over eight organs which help the hummingbirds’ metabolism to run efficiently. This is not true in fact, the hummingbird tongue is used to ingest nectar in the way a dog or cat drinks water (about 12 slurps per second).
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One common misconception is that the bill is used as a straw to slurp up nectar. The bill measures about 15-20 mm in length and can open to just about 1cm wide, which is comparable to the width of a fettuccine noodle. A tiny frame equals small eggs, which are about the size of a pea, while their nest is the size of a walnut! Hummingbirds vary in weight anywhere from 2 to 20 grams, which can be compared to the weight of a small piece of jewelry, or small coin. Primarily the Ruby-Throat anatomy is like most birds, although there are variations in the size of their parts/structures, etc. We will look at the Ruby-Throat species anatomy because of its prevalence here in the US. So how can the bodies of these little creatures conform to various climates and environments? To answer this question, we need to learn more about the hummingbird anatomy. However, they can also be found from far south as Argentina to as far north as Alaska. Did you know there are between 328-340 hummingbird species! Most species can be found in tropical climates, such as Mexico.