Hummingbird Antics Rival Jet Fighters – March 2026
- Cynthia Zager Godwin
- a few seconds ago
- 4 min read
IN THIS POST:
Tiny showoffs . . . hummingbird antics rival fighter jets with their astonishing ability to maneuver.
Song for Resurrection Sunday
Meet author Ken Hamm
Writer’s Corner
Tiny Showoffs
Every year ruby-throated hummingbirds (only the boys have red bibs) nest in our yard. I never tire of watching them zip through the air like fearless kamikaze pilots. They fly to within inches of your face, hang motionless, then dart off. Hummingbirds flap their wings so fast it sometimes gives off a hum, which is how they got their name.
Hummingbirds aren’t particular about where they nest. A rose bush, the wreath on the front door, or the spokes of an outdoor umbrella, which we couldn’t lower until the babies flew off.
The chicks in the picture (left) are about three weeks old. At that age the little guys are so big they almost fall out of the nest. It’s only about the size of a quarter coin inside.
Mr. Sneaky
If you have a feeder in your yard, you will have “hummingbird wars” as one bird hangs out and defends the food from all others. (We don’t have a feeder, but friends do. See “What to Feed” below). One bird was known to station itself out of sight under a board. When an unwitting intruder noticed the unattended feeder, the sentry would dive bomb the hapless newcomer.
Fighter Jets
The blistering maneuvers these tiny creatures perform would make any fighter pilot green with envy. They can fly forwards, backwards, and sideways faster than 55 mph (90 km/h). At a dive, they can reach speeds up to 62 mph (100 km/h). They can hover too.
We’d Burn Up Living Like a Hummingbird
Hummingbirds’ wings beat at 50-80 beats per second which burns up an enormous number of calories. If us humans were doing all this maneuvering, we’d need to eat 1,300 hamburgers a day. We’d wash those burgers down with 15 gallons of water, mainly to cool our engines after generating all that heat.
Speaking of heat, bird expert John Morton (The Vancouver Sun, May 3, 1991) said of humans, “Were we to operate at their energy level, our hearts would beat 1,260 times a minute, our body temperature would rise to 725°F (385°C) and we would burst into flames.” You’d think with all this fast living, hummingbirds would burn out in no time. Most live less than six years, but they can live up to twelve.
Hummingbird Specs
Many of the birds’ design features aren’t obvious to the naked eye because of their small size and speed. Hummingbirds need fuel and find it in the form of nectar from flowers, although they do eat bugs for protein. Their needle-like bill is perfect for extracting food from any flower, large or small. The tongue has two troughs on either side to hold the nectar. The bird drinks at 13 sips per second.
Upon finding a tasty flower, the hummingbird hovers and tilts its body to a 45-degree angle. The wings then beat back and forth instead of up and down. Its wings can also swivel in all directions from the shoulder. That’s because the design of the wing bone is different from that of any other bird.
Hummingbirds Shout God’s Handiwork
The Lord always amazes me at how diverse his creation is. He could have made one type of hummingbird. Instead he made 366 varieties. And guess what? Hummers are only found in the Americas.
But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Who among all these does not know, That the hand of the Lord has done this . . . “ (Job 12: 7,9 NASB)
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made . . . (Romans 1:20 NASB).
I can’t wait to ask the Lord what he was thinking about when he came up with these amazing birds!
What to Feed Hummingbirds?
Your best bet is to plant flowers in a pot or your yard that will lure the birds. Hummingbrids like Salvia (especially Vermillionaire, Columbine, Bee Balm, Trumpet Vine, and Petunias. Favorite colors are red, pink, and orange.
Why not sugar water? Feed this to a hummingbird in captivity and it will die. Sugar water lacks protein, calcium, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Also, red dye is toxic and honey quickly grows bacteria, so neither should be used.
How about Nectar-Plus with added vitamins? It spoils in 12 hours. What isn’t consumed during the day has to be discarded nightly.
It's probably best to go with what the Creator intended for these birds eat!
Song for Resurrection Sunday
Every year I am more in awe of the Lord’s tremendous love for us. I recently came across, What Wondrous Love is This, by Boone Town Hymns. (Boone Town was named for Daniel Boone, in 1850). The words to the song are incredibly worshipful.
If you can’t listen, here are two stanzas:
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
O my soul! What wondrous love is this!
O my soul! What wondrous love is this!
That caused the Lord of bliss!
To bear the dreadful curse, for my soul
To bear the dreadful curse, for my soul!
To God and to the Lamb,
I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing!
To God and to the Lamb,
who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme,
I will sing, I will sing!
while millions join the theme,
I will sing!
Meet author, Ken Hamm
Ken Hamm, well known creationist, spoke recently at the Master’s College in Southern California. He said you could, “take any topic and Genesis 1-11, and it’s the foundation for everything.” Want to hear more? Check out his video:
Writer’s Corner
The cover for Choice of Alliance is finished. Here’s the debut picture.
Coming to a galaxy near you! (Soon, I hope!)
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