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Digital Tobago |
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Digital Photography |
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By Bob Brent |
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I Home I Digital Photography I Wildlife I About/Contact I Site Map I |
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AVIFAUNA INDEX : |
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Avifauna A - Z : Rufus-brested Hermit |
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Order : Apodiformes |
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Family : Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) |
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Name : Rufus-brested Hermit (Glaucis hirsuta) |
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The Apodiformes are made up of two distinct groups of aerial masters, the Swifts (Apodi) and Hummingbirds (Trochili). The Swifts being split into two families True Swifts (Apodidae) and Tree Swifts (Hemiprocnidae), The Hummingbirds are one family (Trochilidae). The feet in true Swifts are weak and they are unable to perch on wires or branches but cling to a vertical surface except when nesting. Swifts drink by swooping down at the surface of a body of water and take nesting materials and prey in full flight. Most courtship rituals take place on the wing and copulation is known to take place in full flight. Tree Swifts and Hummingbirds can perch, and some species can be highly territorial and will attack vastly larger birds such as Hawks, and even mammals such as Humans. |
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Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas ranging from southern Canada and Alaska to Tierre del Fuego, including the West Indies. Some northern American species migrate thousands of kilometres south, an amazing feat for such small birds, and certain species are increasingly migrating to eastern North America due to the hanging of artificial feeders in gardens, surviving in temperatures as low as -20%C. They are capable of hovering in mid air and they are the only bird that can fly backwards. All are nectar eaters being attracted to brightly coloured flowers, mainly red, and most take insects. Some species have developed special bills adapted to specific flowers. Unlike other birds the Hummingbirds wings connect at the shoulder and they can achieve between 15 and 80 beats per second depending on the size of the bird, the larger the bird, the slower the beat. The Bee Hummingbird of Cuba and the Isle of Pines is the smallest living bird, measuring around 5.5 cm and weighing 2g. |
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Length : 12 cm ( 5 in ) |
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The Rufus-brested Hermit is one of the larger hummingbirds. It’s mostly brown with a long decurved bill, the lower mandible being yellow, and has white tail tips. Both sexes being similar. It feeds chiefly on nectar from a variety of plants found in shaded area’s of forest and cultivated land, and can usually be seen around cool mountain streams where it may also search for spiders and insects. The nest is a fragile hammock attached by spiders webs to the underside of a fern or similar plant, often overhanging a bank or stream. |