Hummingbirds are named for the humming sound their wings make during flight. The word “hummingbird” is onomatopoeic, meaning that it imitates the sound of the bird’s wings. This name was first used in the 17th century by European explorers who encountered the birds in the Americas.
Hummingbirds are small birds with long, thin beaks and long, narrow wings. They are able to fly very quickly and can hover in mid-air. Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers and are important pollinators. There are over 300 species of hummingbirds, found in the Americas from Alaska to Argentina.