Why do hummingbirds flap their wings so quickly?

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A hummingbird flies very differently from other birds, who tend to use their wings to flap or soar. A hummingbird, however, flies by moving its wings in a figure-8 type shape, allowing it to move up, down, side to side, and even backward! Hummingbirds also flap their wings famously fast – enough that they even sometimes buzz!

Hummingbirds flap their wings quickly because it helps them to hover, which lets them move from flower to flower and eat up all the delicious nectar they need! They also don’t have strong legs and feet, so it’s beneficial to hummingbirds to have quick flapping wings that let them get up into the air to do all of their moving (as opposed to a little bit of walking). – Can you imagine what it would be like to always move around by flying?!

Hum, Hum, Hum!

Do you know what a hummingbird’s favorite food is? – It’s nectar! The sugary nectar is helpful to the hummingbird, who definitely uses up a lot of energy with all of its flying!

What are the favorite foods of some other birds you’ve learned about??