Learn Yet Another Unique Trait Of The Hummingbird From This 'Today I Learned' Post

They can do something that most birds can't.

May

• Published in Animals
• November 29, 2022

With their dazzling display of color and their delicate, fast-moving wings, hummingbirds captivate onlookers with their unique beauty. But these birds are much more than just pretty faces—they are awe-inspiring feats of nature!

For starters, they can fly backward as well as forward. And that's not all; their wings flap between 10 to 15 times per second!

Plus, if you’re ever lucky enough to attract a hummingbird, it may stick around for longer than expected given its astounding endurance for migratory journeys from 500 to 1000 miles without stopping. So if you want an electrifying show of awe-inspiring aerobatics courtesy of these miniature avian wonders, be sure to keep an eye out for them.

Now we're no bird experts, but what makes hummingbirds so special is pretty clear. In short, they truly embody the phrase "go big or go home" when it comes to flight capabilities – even if the “big” is oh so small!

But there's another fun fact about hummingbirds. A lot of birds do not produce urine as mammals do.

Hummingbirds, however, do know how to pee. Since their diet mostly includes liquid nectar, they're one of the bird species that can urinate.

An article about this fact was shared via the "Today I Learned" (TIL) subreddit.

A Redditor shared an interesting fact about hummingbirds with the TIL community.

Pterodactyls may have wings. But they're reptiles so there's no way they can be the ancestors of birds.

They were flying reptiles.

Unfortunately, getting peed on by a hummingbird doesn't bring good luck.

Indeed.

Hummingbirds are among the rare species of wild birds that regularly eat substantial amounts of extra water that they need to eliminate. Incredibly, researchers have found that a hummingbird's daily excretion of pee can range from 56% to 149% of its body weight!

Since nectar is liquid, it provides enough water for their bodies. Hummingbirds don't really drink from other sources of water.

But since nectar cannot provide amino acids, protein, and various vitamins and minerals, they need to eat other types of food to keep their bodies healthy. These birds consume small insects such as mosquitoes, ants, gnats, wasps, beetles, and aphids aside from nectar from flowers.

Do you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard?

You can make a nectar! A simple recipe uses 1 cup of refined sugar dissolved in water.

Never add dye and other additives! Some people add pink dye, making their pee pink as well.

Do not do this! It is not suitable for these small feathered creatures!

Another interesting fact shared by one of the Redditors.

What the white part of bird droppings actually is

The digestive system of a hummingbird works wonders. Every day, hummingbirds ingest nectar that contains between 75 and 80 percent of their body weight in water.

The majority of birds consume very little extra water, and what little there is, is eliminated from the body. But hummingbirds' digestive systems are incredibly effective.

Their bodies expel the excess water while the sugar coming from the nectar is kept. They pee quickly too!

After they eat, they'll start urinating in as soon as 20 minutes.

May