Hummingbirds for Kids | Learn about these tiny, fast, colorful creatures!

As you may know hummingbirds are the smallest birds on the planet. In Hummingbirds for Kids, you'll learn even more cool facts about these little birds! For one, there are over 350 different species of hummingbirds, making it the second-largest bird family in the world? Only 17 species of hummingbird live in the United States. The rest live in Central and South Americas. And they're the only bird that can fly backward.Show more

Hummingbirds get their energy from the nectar of flowers, or from nectar people make themselves using water and sugar. Because they have such a fast metabolism, hummingbirds have to eat all day long! They can't live just on sugar, though. They need protein, minerals, and vitamins, which they get by eating small bugs.

These little birds are well known for their great courage. The ancient Aztecs would wear necklaces made of hummingbird feathers before going into battle. They believed the hummingbird represented courage and power. Despite their small size, they defend their territories against larger birds.

We hope you and your student(s) enjoyed learning about these interesting birds! If you want to learn even more, head over to our website and download one of our many lesson plans about animals, full of activities, worksheets, and more!