The Hummingbird

19 Nov

Most species are between 7.5 and 13 cm in size. You would almost think it is an out-sized bumblebee! Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) are the smallest birds in the world. They are a family of birds of the order swift-like. The family includes more than 300 species. Most species are found in South America. It is so much fun to spot hummingbirds, the smallest bird in the world! Rapidly flying, their wings are more quivering than fluttering, so small and so fast and agile. Read all about this extraordinary bird here.

Hummingbirds in Costa Rica

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Hummingbirds descend on the nectar of flowers and therefore feel at home in Costa Rican flora. Hummingbirds can be spotted mainly in Uvita, Carara National Park, the Monteverde cloud forest, the cloud forests near San Gerardo de Dota and the valley of Turrialba. But actually, you will encounter them throughout Costa Rica. Costa Rica is home to some 52 different species of hummingbirds. Because they are so extremely fast, special drinking cups with honey water have been hung in various places in parks or nature reserves to lure the hummingbirds there. These feeders are ideal for getting a good photo. Some common hummingbirds in Costa Rica include: the ruby-throated hummingbird, black-bellied hummingbird, sparkling hummingbird, volcano hummingbird, white-throated mountain jay, red-tailed hummingbird, blue-throated hummingbird, green-throated mountain jay, and the magenta throated woodstar.

Special bird

Like a little helicopter, a hummingbird soars through the air. As it does so, it makes a distinctive humming or humming sound. Hence the name “hummingbird” in English. The sound the wings make sounds almost like a piano or violin. They can make different tones. A hummingbird makes this sound in the same way an insect makes the humming sound: namely, by flapping its tiny wings up and down at lightning speed. The bird does this up to 40 times per second. This creates vibrations in the air. And that’s how you hear the buzzing sound. They are called the helicopters among birds because they can hover while flying; they can even fly straight up or down!

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Speed

A male hummingbird flies fastest during a dive. He then flies as far as 385 times his own body length in one second. That’s as much as 100 kilometers per hour. So a hummingbird can almost overtake you on the highway. During that top speed, it flaps its wings up and down 15 to 80 times per second.

Pointed beak

The hummingbird uses its beak to suck nectar and pollen from flowers. Different species of hummingbirds have different beaks. Some have beaks almost as long as the entire body, about 10 cm long! For example, the sword hummingbird. But others have a beak that is strongly curved downward or one that is curved upward only at the tip. Each beak is specialized on a particular flower shape, so there is no competition between hummingbird species.

Colors

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The male hummingbird is variegated, usually metallic green in color, with a brilliant red, blue or emerald green throat color. The female is more inconspicuously colored. Hummingbirds can show and hide their bright colors when necessary.

Large differences in weight occur between species. The smallest, the Bee Hummingbird is only 5 cm tall and weighs 1.8 grams. The hummingbird most common in North America, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, weighs about 3 grams and measures 7.6 cm. Hummingbirds can live up to 15 years and return to the same place every year. During the colder months, the birds migrate to warmer, more southern regions.

Spiritual significance

The hummingbird symbolizes the joy of life and the lightness of being. The little bird flies from flower to flower and is always actively seeking the sweetest nectar. It teaches us to seek the beauty in each day, to enjoy in the Here and Now and to look for that which makes you happy and happy.
Hummingbirds in the reserve of Adopt Rainforest

Costa Rica is home to the reserve of the Adopt Rainforest Foundation. This reserve is home to 16 different species of hummingbirds. This is an unprecedented number when you consider that there are 52 species of hummingbirds in all of Costa Rica. A clear indication of how high biodiversity is in this foundation’s rainforest. Would you also like to contribute to the protection of this special nature reserve? Then adopt a piece of rainforest here.

08 Jul

The rainy season part 1: Glass frogs

In the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica most rain falls in May to August. The fact that it rains is good for all life of course, but can be quite difficult for our biologists in the Work with Nature reserve; the paths become muddy, the laundry doesn’t dry and the project is sometimes briefly inaccessible because rivers are filling up. (more…)

16 Jul

The rainy season part 2: Other frog species in Costa Rica

Did you know… in the wet months the frogs in Costa Rica show themselves more often? They are less prone to drying out because of the wetness and are singing because many species lay their eggs in the rainy season. Earlier we talked about the glass frogs, but there are many more frogs to be seen in this period. (more…)

12 Nov

Special reserve expansion realized!

Last summer we were able to open the proverbial champagne bottle again! Despite all external influences, we managed to formalize the purchase of a beautiful and especially strategically important piece of rainforest! It concerns the 9 hectares on which the research center is located. (more…)

12 Jan

The three-fingered sloth: the facts you didn’t know about this impressive mammal

What’s with the fur? Why do sloths sleep so much? This month, the three-fingered sloth is the animal of the month at Adopt Rainforest. And what’s more fun than hearing from one of the founders of Adopt Rainforest some fun facts that you won’t find in a standard biology book. Maarten van der Beek is one of the biologists at Adopt Rainforest and lives on the Work With Nature reserve in Costa Rica. (more…)

15 Apr

Despite the corona crisis, investigations continue in Costa Rica

Despite the fact that there are no students because of the Corona crisis, the research continues (partly).

In the Netherlands, some students are busy analysing data, but also in Costa Rica inventories are still being made. Accompanied by guide Tapa, Hanneke and Maarten walk the transects in different habitats.

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21 Sep

CO2 Compensation – How does that work?

Do you want to offset your CO2? But have no idea how CO2 offsetting works? In this article we will tell you all the ins and outs about CO2 compensation so that you can reduce your CO2 emissions and offset them in the right way.

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28 Aug

Butterflies in Costa Rica

When a butterfly flies by, most people do stop for a moment to follow it with their eyes. They often have beautiful colors and the large soft wings compared to the small body make them look almost cuddly. In Costa Rica there are more than 1200 species of butterflies and of course we are very curious about the species that occur in the reservation of Adopt Rainforest.

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10 Feb

Special glass frog in the reserve!

Now that student Sonny, a pure night tour specialist, is about to finish his internship, a lot of great discoveries are made at the last minute. To top it all off, last week we found a special glass frog in the reserve. This Hyalinobatrachium dianae – Diane’s Bare-hearted Glass Frog was only discovered and described […]

03 Oct

International Census of the Great Green Macaw

Critically endangered parrot species Yesterday the research program of Adopt Rainforest participated in the Censo Internacional de la Guacamaya Verde 2022. Or in English the International Sensus of the Great Green Macaw. Throughout its distribution, dozens of organisations participate in the next days to get an understanding of the current state of this parrot species. […]

26 Aug

From pasture to a fully-fledged rainforest

Is it possible to restore the original rainforest in a deforested area where cows have been grazing for years? In Costa Rica at least they accept the challenge. This article tells in short how a Dutch foundation in Costa Rica is trying to transform degraded land back into a fully fledged rainforest. (more…)