Do you love watching birds? Do you have a favorite bird? Mine is the hummingbird. I love how they fly so fast and are so small. But did you know that ostriches and hummingbirds have something in common? Read on to find out more!
How does an ostrich compare to a hummingbird?
An ostrich and a hummingbird have many differences, but one similarity does exist between the two: both of them can fly. Obviously, the manner in which each flies differs greatly; an ostrich flies in long, broad strokes with its wings expanded, while a hummingbird swiftly flaps its tiny wings at rapid speed. An ostrich is larger than most people imagine, averaging five to six feet tall and tipping the scales at 350 pounds. In contrast, a hummingbird’s size is often underestimated; they are only two and a half inches long!
The majority of their diet also varies – Ostriches are omnivorous and feast mostly on fruits and leaves, while hummingbirds dine mainly on nectar and small insects. One more item that sets them apart is their habitat – Ostriches live primarily in Africa while Hummingbirds reside mostly in North and South America. Regardless of these differences, seeing these two diverse birds take to the skies is nothing short of remarkable.
What kind of bird is most closely related to hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds are members of the Trochilidae family, a group of birds that fly extremely quickly and have specialized feathers and a long beak. Their closest cousins in this family are Swifts, another type of bird that moves with exceptionally fast speed to catch insects in midair. The aerodynamic shape these birds have evolved allows them to hover, climb and even fly backward in the air – all tricks not many animals can do!
Although swifts share some characteristics with hummingbirds, they lack the brilliant coloration seen in their counterparts; hummingbirds come in distinctive bright blues, reds, and greens while swifts are mainly gray or brown.
Why are these birds called hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds, the only birds that can fly backward and hover in mid-air, have always had an air of mystery around them. These beautiful creatures are named for the unique humming sound they make with their wings when flying. During the flight, their wings can beat up to 80 times a second. This humming noise made by their wings is thought to be used to help attract potential mates and define their territory.
Also, because of the speed of their flight, allows them invisibility to predators and helps these birds outrun other small animals wishing to do them harm. All in all, it’s no wonder why these birds received such an appropriate and amazng name!
Is Ostrich the smallest bird in the world?
Ostriches are fascinating birds, and one of the strangest things about them is that they’re not actually the smallest species of bird in the world. Ostrich are typically much larger than other types of birds with some growing up to nine feet tall and weighing up to 400 pounds!
Although ostriches can be quite a small relative to their other family members, the common garden warbler is one of the smallest species of birds on Earth and usually weighs less than an ounce. The sheer size difference between these two species really illustrates just how diverse birds can be when it comes to size!
Do ostriches have 8 hearts?
Ostrich may not have 8 hearts, but they do have surprisingly strong cardiovascular systems. An ostrich’s heart is rough twice the size of a human heart, and when exercising it can beat up to 260 beats per minute – about four times as fast as a human!
This gives the bird incredible stamina and strength, allowing them to sprint pretty impressively – reaching speeds up to 43 miles per hour in just a few seconds. And although it might be sometimes difficult to believe, an ostrich can even outrun some of the fastest horses in the world! Truly impressive for an animal that normally appears so gentle and unexciting.
Conclusion
Overall, although ostriches and hummingbirds are vastly different in terms of size and appearance, they share many similarities as well. From their families and orders in the animal kingdom to their ability to fly, their diet preferences, and the overall habitat in which they inhabit, these two seemingly disparate birds have more in common than one might think.
Although their paths may never cross due to leading such different lives, the many shared features between the two species prove that there’s more than meets the eye when looking at life on planet Earth. Perhaps spending even just a short amount of time examining ostriches and hummingbirds has been an opportunity to gain a unique perspective on how amazing and diverse nature can be.
