In the dense rainforest, there is an amazing wonder hidden. It is home to the world's smallest hummingbird, no more than a few centimeters long, but with unparalleled wisdom and courage. But can you imagine that the way it builds its house is with the help of spider silk? These tiny, fine threads interweave into a charming little nest that becomes home to the cubs.
However, even growing up in an alluring house, the cub's journey is full of thrills. The way they are fed is amazing, as if from a little-known dark world.
Habitat building for the world's smallest hummingbird: building a house using spider silk
Inhabiting the Andes region of South America, the world's smallest hummingbird has a unique and valuable habitat. These little birds believe that only dwellings built of silk thread can perfectly cater to their agile bodies and high-speed flight. These amazing nests, flown lightly and deftly by these hummingbirds, become the jewels of this magnificent mountainous area.
Hummingbirds dwell by using their own silk threads collected from plants. Hummingbirds fly to the plants, gently cut the leaves with the strong pointed beaks in their mouths, and extract silk threads from them. Although their bodies are small, the tendons between the hummingbird's feet and wings are exceptionally strong, allowing them to maintain a stable and firm posture when collecting silk threads. The delicate work is amazing, but it's the hummingbird's effort to get their home.
Hummingbirds use silk threads to glue plant branches to the leaves to create a tight and durable cup-like structure. This nest is light and warm, it blends in with the natural environment of the plant. Hummingbirds lay soft plant fluff inside their nests to keep the hatching eggs warm. This slim silk thread structure allows air to circulate smoothly, providing sufficient ventilation and a comfortable living environment for the birds. These little birds very cleverly and carefully choose a safe and isolated location to build their shelter to ensure safety within the nest.
The hummingbird's brisk flight and small size complement the construction of its dwelling. These nests are almost integrated into their surroundings and are difficult to spot. Their elongated bodies can adapt to the small but unique shape of these nests. Hummingbirds fly in and out through small holes in their nests, skillfully and quickly shuttling between the intricate branches and leaves. This is a home-like place for them, and they can always find their way home no matter when and where.
These silk dwellings are the result of the meticulous design and excellent skills of hummingbirds. Despite their tiny bodies, hummingbirds show an unreserved love for their homeland. In this Andean treasure, these slender and delicate structures are a symbol of hummingbird vitality and an embrace of nature's wonders. Let's immerse ourselves in this mountain range, listen to the honey whispering of hummingbirds and feel the wonders they have done for us. The habitat of hummingbirds will always shine in our hearts.
The world's smallest hummingbird parenting style: feeding cubs in a scary way
The smallest hummingbirds in the world are called the golden-bellied hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae), and they are usually only 5 centimeters long and weigh no more than 2.6 grams. Despite their tiny bodies, they have extraordinary abilities and can vibrate their wings 50 to 80 times per minute, or even up to 200 times a minute. This allows them to hover, forward, backward and fly in all directions in order to facilitate the search for nectar and catch insects.
The way hummingbirds feed their cubs is particularly striking. Once hatched, young hummingbirds are able to leave the nest immediately and begin to search for food. However, getting food is not easy because the golden-bellied hummingbird mother employs a scary feeding style.
In order to protect their children, golden-bellied hummingbird mothers choose to set up panic traps around the nest. She will find nests of spider webs or other insects and disguise them as food in the gaps at the other end of the nest. When a toddler tries to get close to the fake bait, the mother immediately dispatches and shoves food into the toddler's mouth. In this way, the hummingbird mother can teach the cubs to recognize and avoid danger.
While this type of feeding may sound a bit brutal, in reality, it is a strategy to protect the pup. In the wild, golden-bellied hummingbirds face multiple risks, such as food shortages, threats from predators, and theft of nests. By teaching their pups to recognize danger early, mother hummingbirds can help them build their ability to protect themselves, thereby improving their pup's survival rate.
The fact that the smallest hummingbirds so skillfully use spider silk to build houses and even feed their cubs is truly a stunning sight in nature. Their abilities are beyond imagination, making us re-evaluate the power of small bodies. The world is full of mystery and wonder, and these little beings bring us revelations every day.
However, for some readers, the story is also scary. Seeing those tiny mouths chewing insects, they couldn't help but think: Perhaps the survival challenge of the pups is so great that they can only cope with extraordinary growth rates. This leads us to think about the complex and brutal aspects of the natural world.
The story provoked reviews not only as admiration for hummingbird intelligence and unparalleled survival skills, but also on the reader's reflections on the light and darkness of nature. Perhaps this is our reflection on the nature of life, a redefinition of the power of the so-called weak. Let us inspire each other, summarize and complement each other, and understand and appreciate our close connection to nature in a deeper way.
Proofreading: Hahaha
Reviewed: Hotaru