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Hummingbird.


Hummingbird.
Photo Information
Copyright: Luis Leal (Luis52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-08-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D80, 80-200 f2.8D ED AF Nikkor+1.5X Kenko
Exposure: f/4, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-08-18 17:53
Viewed: 3504
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi All.- I just came from My Vacation, so I am happy to be here again.

Hummingbird.
Hummingbirds are birds in the family Trochilidae, and are endemic to the Americas. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their two wings 15–80 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 two wings.

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 12% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is around 25%. 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
Luis Leal.
jaycee, star05, eqshannon, maurydv, uleko, Kaszek, JoseMiguel, Juyona, gracious, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-08-18 18:10]

Hola Primo,

It's been a long time and I've missed my cousin. The hummingbirds seem to have returned to Tucson only yesterday. I missed them too. Nice shot of this one with his long beak in the flower. You captured him perfectly. Beautiful colors, details and the famous blue sky we share.

Jane

Hi Luis,
I haven't met u b4 am pleased to do so. Awesome capture!!
Thoroughly enjoyed notes as have wondered about the bill of a hummingbird . TFS

Best Regards,
Jane

hello luis,
welcome back, i hope you enjoyed the vacation.
lovely capture of the humming bird in this pose, your timing to clickis perfect, i liked the blue sky in the bg, good details captured,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Looks like if the bird gets any deeper it will need extrication with eh jaws of life! That is as nice an in action image as one could get...timing and location...but in this case...timing...Very nicely done my friend....
Bob

Ciao Luis,
bentornato con questa spettacolare immagine, eccellenti POV e momento di cattura, molto bella la composizione con le linee diagonali, ottima nitidezza, bellissimi i colori su BG azzurro.
TFS. Maurizio

  •      
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1618 W: 106 N: 3208] (15166)
  • [2008-08-19 0:22]

hi luis,
excellent image of this humming bird, i liked the bird with its beak well inside the flower. good contrast of flowers and blue sky here. tfs.
nagraj.v

Hello Luis,

Excellent capture of this hummingbird. Excellent sharpness.
I like very much the composition. Light and colours are great.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-08-19 1:12]

Hello Luis,
Very nice and well-timed capture of this little Hummingbird seeking nectar in a Nicotiana glauca (I think!). I love the moment you caught with sharp focus on the eye and the flower. I like its pose too against the blue sky. Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hello Luis,
It's really outstanding shot! Superbly focused on the eye, very well composed.
Congratulations!
Kaszek

Hola Luis,
Que maravilla la pose en el vuelo estático que captaste.
El foco en la cabeza y especialmente en el ojo no puede ser mejor, ofreciéndonos toda esa nitidez y riqueza de detalles.
Muy buena luz y colores vibrantes realzan aún mas la escena.
Excelente foto y gracias por compartirla.
Un gran saludo,
JM

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-08-19 8:45]

Hello Luis, Excellent shot a very good one. You have managed to shoot the bird in action and that too in the air. Well done. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2008-08-19 8:50]

Hi Luis,
Outstanding shot and you have freezed a stunning moment here. Very neat and sharp image with bright sunlight and lovely colours. The blue sky as backdrop looks majestic. Excellent POV and DOF and you have composed it beautifully. Thanks for sharing.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2008-08-19 14:28]

Hola Luis,
preciosa captura y fino pov. y foco...
magnífica calidad en la congelación el ave.
la florecilla aquí es muy abundante,
llevo varios días con problemas en mi computador, el disco duro se me rompió, y este es un nuevo equipo.
muchos saludos amigo, como fueron esos días de vacaciones??

Hola Luis, querría decirte que a mi gusto eres uno de los mejores fotógrafos de esta web. No soy un pelotas ( que es como decimos en españa para enjabonar, alabar facílmente, etc. ) y creo que al igual que los defectos, las virtudes también se han de decir más que nada para que uno sepa donde está. Me gusta por su naturalidad y calidad de imagen principalmente aunque no descuidas otros aspectos.
Bonita ave la que nos presentas que no tenemos por aquí. Casi la congelas, aunque ese 1/250 dejo el ala dando dinamismo jeje.
Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi Tejedor.

Hola Luis,
Como esta usted!
Nice to see you back from your holidays!
great image of the inflight Hummingbird with the perfect moment!
sharp with good colour and details
muchas gracias
Saludos
Tony

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1387 W: 3 N: 9] (44)
  • [2008-08-25 8:53]

merhaba Luis
wonderful capture of this rapid and beautiful bird with correct timing
i like composition, POV, light, colours and sharpness
TFS
regards
izler

Luis,

I've been away from TN for too long and missed quite a few of your shots. I love your hummingbird work. There is nothing like being able to photograph those little guys in their natural habitat. I thought I'd be able to take some pictures of hummingbirds this year but unfortunately they've already started moving south and are gone from this area. (I've moved about 1600km north to the tip of lake Superior) I guess there is always next year :)
Excellent work My friend. Hopefully I'll be able to do something similar in a year.

Best Regards,

Martin

hello Luis

in the last month i was absent, here i am again,

excellent shot of this Hummingbird in action,
excellent timing from you to shoot it in photo,
fine POV, beautiful mexican all blue sky,
excellent sharpness and details, i love the blur
of the wings showing the motion in the image,

TFS

Asbed

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