Thursday, July 24, 2008

Species #12

Common name: Hummingbirds
Scientific name: Apodiforms
Hummingbirds are specialized nectarivores. Many plants pollinated by hummingbirds produce flowers in shades of red, orange and bright pink. Although they will take nector from flowers of many colors. Hummingbird pollinated flowers produce weak nector containing high concentrations of sucrose whereas insect pollinated flowers produce nectars dominated by fuctose and glucose. With the exception of insects, hummingbirds while in flight have the highest metabolism of all animals. This is necessity to support the rapid beating of their wings. They typically consume more than their own weight in nectar a day so they must visit hundreds of flowers daily.
I don't believe hummingbirds are domesticated because humans do not interact with them.

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