Hummingbirds

Summary

The content is an engaging description of hummingbirds, highlighting their unique characteristics and behaviors through vivid imagery and poetic quotes.

Abstract

The article captures the enchanting nature of hummingbirds, likening them to jewels flitting through the air. It poetically ponders their identity, questioning if they are birds or bees, and references a quote by Richard Burton that adds to the mystique. The piece describes the birds' dynamic movements, such as darting, thrusting, and hovering, as they engage in territorial displays and feed from a bubbling fountain. It also provides a factual snippet from Wikipedia, noting hummingbirds' size, their presence in the Americas, and the distinctive humming sound produced by their rapid wing beats, which can exceed 80 flaps per second in the smallest species.

Opinions

The author seems to be fascinated by the hummingbirds, describing them in a way that emphasizes their beauty and the allure of their movements.
There is a sense of wonder in the author's portrayal of the hummingbirds' aerial acrobatics, such as the "loop de loop" of the yellow butterfly and the hummingbirds' own rapid flights.
The author uses a blend of personal observation and factual

Rainbow gems on golden beams

Image created from the author’s photos on Canva and Prisma

Is it a monster bee, Or is it a midget bird, ……..Richard Burton

The sun laconically checks in.

The yellow butterfly does the loop de loop.

One hummingbird, then two,

Here’s three.

Dart and thrust, to and fro,

Straight line flights of aggression,

Stop and drink,

Hover and perch.

The fountain burbles merrily on.

Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas ……They are the smallest of birds, most species measuring 7.5–13 cm (3–5 in) in length. They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air at rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species, to in excess of 80 in some of the smallest……..Wikipedia

Is it a bird or is it a bee?

Hummingbirds

Rainbow gems on golden beams