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Hummingbird.


Hummingbird.
Photo Information
Copyright: Luis Leal (Luis52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D700, 80-200 f2.8D ED AF Nikkor+1.5X Kenko
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-04-06 10:16
Viewed: 871
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hummingbird in a Ferocactus pilosus flowers.

Hummingbirds are birds in the family Trochilidae, and are native to the Americas. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12–90 times per second (depending on the species). They can fly backwards, and are the only group of birds able to do so. Their English name derives from the characteristic hum made by their rapid wing beats. They can fly at speeds exceeding 15 m/s (33 mph).

Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of plants and are important pollinators, especially of deep-throated, tubular flowers. Like bees, they are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat; they reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 10% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is stronger. Nectar is a poor source of nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their needs for protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. by preying on insects and spiders, especially when feeding young.

Most hummingbirds have bills that are long and straight or nearly so, but in some species the bill shape is adapted for specialized feeding. Thornbills have short, sharp bills adapted for feeding from flowers with short corollas and piercing the bases of longer ones. The Sicklebills' extremely decurved bills are adapted to extracting nectar from the curved corollas of flowers in the family Gesneriaceae. The bill of the Fiery-tailed Awlbill has an upturned tip, as in the Avocets. The male Tooth-billed Hummingbird has barracuda-like spikes at the tip of its long, straight bill.

The two halves of a hummingbird's bill have a pronounced overlap, with the lower half (mandible) fitting tightly inside the upper half (maxilla). When hummingbirds feed on nectar, the bill is usually only opened slightly, allowing the tongue to dart out and into the interior of flowers.

Like the similar nectar-feeding sunbirds and unlike other birds, hummingbirds drink by using protrusible grooved or trough-like tongues.

Hummingbirds do not spend all day flying, as the energy costs of this would be prohibitive; the majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching. Hummingbirds feed in many small meals, consuming many small invertebrates and up to five times their own body weight in nectar each day. They spend an average of 10-15% of their time feeding and 75-80% sitting and digesting.

Saludos
Luis52.
Mikolaj, nglen, siggi, CeltickRanger, jaycee, Alex99, gannu, fiyo, rousettus, zeca has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Black44: Gracias.Luis52 1 04-15 18:19
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Critiques [Translate]

Hola Luis! Wonderful scene. Dynamic composition. Perfect sharpness. Original picture. Good luck!

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8625] (32146)
  • [2009-04-06 10:21]

Hi Luis. A fine capture of this Hummingbird drinkng from the flower . Its a good inflight shot. Which you have taken with fine detail and bright colours. All with interesting notes. well done TFs.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2009-04-06 10:21]

yes I love it luis,
marvelous shot, great timing, good capture, fine details, very good photo job here.
regard Jaap

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2388 W: 94 N: 5521] (17576)
  • [2009-04-06 10:26]

Hello Luis,
What a fantastic timing. Great in flight photo in good sharpness and details. Beautiful soft colours. Composition and POV are excellent.
Regards,
Peter

Ciao Luis, great capture of lovely hummingbird in great pose, splendid colors, fine details and wonderful sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Luis,

Great shot depicting the bird in flight. Wonderful colours.

Cheers,
Prasad

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4723] (16252)
  • [2009-04-06 11:03]

Hello Luis,
Fabulous. A beautiful capture of this Hummingbird.The DOF is excellent, your POV is wonderful.I love the colours.A superb shot.TFS and best regards Siggi

hello Luis
beautiful scene very good glance and result
splendid photo
regards
Nasos

hello Luis
great picture
good moment
beautiful colours and sharpness
greeting lou

hello Luis

excellent photo of the Hummingbird in action,
with fine POV, beautiful warm luminosity and colour tones,
excellent sharpness and details and i love the blur
of its wing that shows the motion of the image, TFS

Asbed

Tio,

This is a a great picture!!
The colors are great! you almost stoped the movement of the wings! I wonder what would happen if more movement was shown? Ofcourse the window of oportunity is small.

Regards,

Nacho

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-04-06 17:15]

Hola Primo,

You're reminding me to get the hummingbird feeder filled! A beautiful shot of this hovering hummingbird enjoying the nectar. The iridescent colors and fine details are wonderful.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5669] (18533)
  • [2009-04-06 21:43]

Hi Luis.
What an impressive colorful scene. You have pictured a wonderful moment. I am amazed with selected DOF, details of the beautiful plant and charming bird. Lights and colour palette are delicate very pleasant to look. Composition is spot on too. Well done and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2009-04-07 9:36]

Luis, The shot is so beautiful. I heard it is very difficult to shoot the bird in motion. Nice shot. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2009-04-07 13:08]

Merhaba Luis,
hareketi çok güzel yakalamışsın; netlik, renkler ve kompozisyon olarak çok güzel olmuş.
Tebrik ederim.

Hola Luis
one of beautiful Hummingbird species' great capture on colorful cactus flowers. great sharp focus, POV and coloration. lighting and composition also great. gracias y saludos amigo, buenos dias
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 373 W: 14 N: 538] (2881)
  • [2009-04-08 7:18]

Bela captura, primo Luis! O ponto de vista é muito bom e as cores são belíssimas!
Abraços,
Zeca

Hola Luis
Que imagenes mas buenas haces, este pajara con la velocidad que tiene en las alas y las dejas clavadas, y ademas con esa planta le realza mucho, Perfección no hay más.
Te he incorporado en favorito por que deseo ver tus trabajos.
Un saludo Antonio

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