Hear The Hum?
Hummingbirds are named for the humming sound made by their wings. Here's why: Flight feathers are light, but stiff and sturdy enough to beat millions of times as hummers fly about on their daily business or migrate long distances. The stiffness of flight feathers makes a humming sound when the wings beat fast enough. How fast is that? In normal flight a hummer's wings beat about 50-75 beats per second. During courtship flights, both Ruby-throated and Rufous Hummingbirds wings can beat 200 times per second!

"I saw 12 at my feeder today. Hearing the humming of their wings as I sat with them was GREAT!"

Christy Logan of Madison, Mississippi (September 9, 2013)

Female Rufous Hummingbird
Photo: T.J. Wallace