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Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Question, do hummingbirds sleep? The short answer is yes. However it is not so simple and not like the sleep we humans understand as sleep.
This article will explain how, why and where hummingbirds sleep. We will cover how many species there are, habitat, identification, size, feeding, sleeping and conservation status.
How many species
According to sources there are around 350 different species of hummingbirds, some of which are listed as endangered. Some unfortunately have already become extinct.
Their name comes from the noise their wings make when they beat. This is thought to be around 60-80 beats per second. They are also the only known bird to be able to fly backwards, which helps in the approaching and leaving of flowers and plants as they feed.
Lifespan
The lifespan of the hummingbirds is reported to be quite broad. Scientists who were monitoring a population of hummingbirds recorded one they had banded in 1976, was recaptured, her age was 12 years and 2 months. Although she has not been seen since and is possibly dead now. Other individuals have been recorded at 10 years old and 6 years old. The average age is thought to be 3-4 years.
Habitat
The hummingbird mainly lives in the tropics of central and south America, although there are a few species that live in North America. Many are migratory and will go to warmer climates where the food remains plentiful. The birds have been seen intensely feeding before migration. This would be to ensure they have enough fat and energy to enable them to migrate.
Identification
Identification of hummingbirds can be tricky as there are so many species, and the tiny size of them. In general they all have long thin needle like beaks that they can probe deep into flowers, their tongue which also is long can then collect the nectar. Also their colors are vibrant and are very reflective on the chest and upper throat, although as with most of the bird kingdom the females have less color.
To be able to identify individual species there are 6 main characteristics,
- The colour of the feather on the throat
- Colour on the head, belly, back, sides and tail
- Bill length, shape, curve and colour
- Tail shape, length, markings and features
- The size of the body
- Range or locations of inhabitancy.
Size of the bird
The picture above gives you an idea of how small some of these birds are. They can weigh between 4-8g and can measure around 5.5cms, although this can vary depending on the species as there is a giant hummingbird weighing around 20g and measuring approximately 23cms.
Feeding
They feed on nectar, and during breeding season they will also eat insects and spiders to increase their intake of protein.They require as much high protein and nutrition as possible due to their small size. All living creatures require food, however for this small bird it appears to be a daily battle to ensure they have enough to get to the next day. As we will see, they have evolved a way to help their bodies use the fuel in a more efficient way.
Sleeping
Many hummingbirds have been observed upside down on trees or feeders looking almost dead. They are in fact in the state of torpor.
What is torpor?
The term torpor is used to describe the sleep of hummingbirds. However this is more than just sleep, this state is defined as “a state of lowered physiological activity typically characterized by reduced metabolism, heart rate, respiration, and body temperature that occurs in varying degrees especially in hibernating and estivating animals”, (Merriam-Webster, 2022).
The hummingbirds use this as a survival method. If they were to just sleep as we know it the little bird would use all its fat supplies, but by using torpor, it reduces its body’s physiological demands conserving energy therefore the bird can achieve rest without death.
The findings of scientists show the duration for torpor can differ from 2.5 – 10 hours.
It is also thought that a further reason for torpor is to enable this little bird to live and endure areas known to have inclement weather. Thereby they can live in harsh challenging environments.
This was part of the findings of an article published by the Royal Society in 2020 (Blair O. Wolf, Andrew E. McKechnie, C. Jonathan Schmitt, Zenon J. Czenze, Andrew B. Johnson and Christopher C. Witt,2020), shows an experiment taken by scientists to investigate torpor in the population of hummingbirds in parts of the tropical Andes.
Conservation status
As mentioned previously some species of hummingbird are already extinct and some are now on the endangered list. According the IUCN (Internal union for conservation for nature and natural resources, 2022), of a total of 361 species of hummingbirds the red list categories are as follows:
- Extinct = 2
- Critically endangered = 9
- Endangered = 16
- Vulnerable = 11
- Near threatened = 22
- Least concern = 310
- Data deficient = 1
The IUCN list some of the greatest threats come from agriculture and aquaculture, more specifically, annual and perennial timber crops. Biological resource use comes second, mainly by logging and wood harvesting. Climate change comes third with the main issue of habitat shifting and alteration. Residential and commercial development also impact.
The IUCN have also listed strategies needed to address these threats including legislation on a national level, compliance and enforcement both on a national and international level. The IUCN recognise that more research is required, such as population sizes, distribution and trends. Also life history and ecology, to name but a few.
Further information can be seen on the IUCN website (https://www.iucnredlist.org/searchquery=hummingbirds&searchType=species)
In summary
I hope you have found this article interesting.
We have answered the question posed, “Do hummingbirds sleep, where and how?” and have established that hummingbirds do sleep albeit, differently from what we would expect. We know that this method of rest is imperative to the survival of this little bird. It appears they sometimes just go into torpor without seeming to be bothered that their hanging off a bird feeder.
We have also seen some of the threats to these little birds by way of climate change, deforestation, and habitat shifting due to these factors. We have also seen some of the conservation actions requested by the IUCN. Hopefully these actions will have a positive impact on the population of hummingbirds.
Torpor Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster 28/09/2022
https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=hummingbirds&searchType=species