By: Adriana

Hummingbirds have many skeletal and flight muscle adaptations which allow the bird great agility in flight. Muscles make up 25-30% of their body weight, and they have long, blade-like wings that, unlike the wings of other birds, connect to the body only from the shoulder joint. This adaptation allows the wing to rotate almost 180°, enabling the bird to fly not only forward but fly backwards, and to hover in front of flowers as it feeds on nectar and insects.

•Birds have hollow bones, that make them lighter, and able to

fly.

• Birds Have powerful chest muscles, that power their wings.

• Muscles do not tire quickly, making it easier to fly long

distances.

• Lungs are connected to a network of air sacks that fill up

with air helping to provide the body with a large amount of

oxygen used during flight.

*Special thanks to Jaxyn Peterson,

Mrs. Dukeshire.

* And http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/ruby-

throated-hummingbird.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby-

throated_Hummingbird

http://fohn.net/hummingwww.hummigbirdsociety.org

science & nature guides BIRDS