The Flower Kisser
Times Square is an attraction that could only be found in the modern world.
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds on Earth, and they are also the most fascinating.
Hummingbirds live in the Americas, with a ___1___ in Central and South America.
The life of an active little hummingbird
revolves around getting food. On a regular day, one
hummingbird will visit ___2___ 1,000 flowers to find nectar. To
ensure that they get enough protein
in their diet, they also prey on spiders in their
webs and small insects.
___3___, a human's heart beats 72 times per minute. While doing something
strenuous, that number can double.
Hummingbirds'' heartbeats, however, can get all the way ___4___1,260 beats per
minute. This is because they flap their wings
incredibly fast when they fly, never stopping. Hummingbirds are the
only birds ___5___ wings can move in a complete circle. This
___6___ them to fly forwards, backwards,
sideways, and even upside
down. They can also move their wings in a
figure eight shape so they can hover in
the air like a helicopter.
Like most birds, hummingbirds dislike cold weather and ___7___ south for the
winter. This is most impressive for birds from
North America, which travel all the way to Central America. Canadian
hummingbirds travel the farthest, flying 4,000 kilometers to reach a warmer
environment. On one leg of the journey, the hummingbirds fly
over 1,000 kilometers without stopping at all. Don't
underestimate the diminutive hummingbird: it's more
powerful than it looks ! |