Hummingbirds are fascinating little pollinators. They are the lightest American bird with the fastest wings and heartbeats. Their jewel-toned coloring makes them a delight to find in any garden. But how about their intelligence? Are hummingbirds smart? You may be surprised to learn that despite their minuscule size, these tiny birds are incredibly intelligent.
What is a Hummingbird?
Hummingbirds are important pollinators in North and South America.
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Hummingbirds are vibrantly colored small birds with thin beaks. They get their names from the humming noise their wings make when they are flapping. Native to North and South America, there are around 350 different species of hummingbirds in their family Trochilidae.
Tiny, but fierce, hummingbirds will aggressively protect their territory. They are important pollinators in the food web, pollinating a variety of flowers. Their diet consists of not only nectar, but also insects such as mosquitoes, spiders, and aphids.
Are Hummingbirds Smart?
These little birds are much smarter than you might expect. Scientists studying hummingbirds have uncovered some fascinating facts.
Hummingbirds remember which flowers have the most nectar, and how long it takes to replenish.
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Big Brain Size
Hummingbirds have big brains about their size. A hummingbird’s brain makes up 4.2% of their weight, the largest of any bird. Comparatively, a human’s brain makes up about 2% of our weight. Further, researchers have found that hummingbirds have an enlarged hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory.
Previous studies have shown that hummingbirds not only remember where certain flowers are, but they also know how long to wait for the flower to replenish its nectar before returning.
Hummingbirds Can Do Math
Hummingbirds use a lot of energy hovering as they drink nectar from flowers. Therefore, it’s important for them not to waste any time. The little birds are adept at finding flowers full of nectar and can remember where they are to return to.
Scientists have uncovered the fascinating way hummingbirds can do this, is by conducting simple math operations, like counting and sequencing. Although numerical order is a simple math, it’s a complex skill that helps the birds find the quickest route to the juiciest flowers.
Hummingbirds See the World Differently
Hummingbirds can fly as fast as 60 miles per hour. How do they dive to catch an insect so quickly? How can they hover forward, backward, and even upside down, all the while beating their wings between 70 and 200 times per second? As it turns out, their brains perceive the world differently than a human’s does.
Scientists have found, that not only do hummingbirds see colors humans can’t, their brain processes visual signals that we don’t. Hummingbirds have precise control of their movements, even while moving fast. Unlike other flying birds, they can detect motion equally from all sides, saving them from getting knocked out of the sky by a strong wind while hovering, or letting them dart adeptly away from a predator.
