LIVE HUMMINGBIRD WEBCAM IN ARIZONA

More info: There are 340 species of hummingbirds making them the second most diverse bird family on earth.

Most hummingbird species cannot tolerate cold and early and late frosts can take a toll on these tiny birds. Although hummingbirds occupy almost all of North America during summer months, these tiny birds remain tropical at heart and most do migrate. The main exception is the Anna's Hummingbird, which stays put all year along the Pacific Coast. The Rufous hummingbird has the longest migration, flying as much as 3,000 miles from Alaska to Mexico. The Ruby-Throated hummingbird also has a long migration route which includes the amazing task of flying 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico.

The hummingbird nests are built by the female alone. They are a wonderful piece of architecture that is not only tiny but also flexible. They expand to accommodate the eggs and then later reduce in size once the fledglings have left.

In spite of the jewel like colours of hummingbirds plumage, their visual beauty is an optical illusion. The feather pigments are black, brown and reddish brown but are able to reflect light which results in their amazing colours. Unlike many birds the plumage of hummingbirds does not change during breeding season but remains the same year-round. A hummingbird can beat its wings at 70 to 80 beats per second.