I Like Birds 12 - The Hummingbird

 

One of the smaller birds this week but totally worthy of inclusion

Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. There are  approximately 366 species and 113 genera with most species found in Central and South America As of 2024, 21 hummingbird species are sadly listed as endangered or critically endangered, with numerous species declining in population.

They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings which flap at high frequencies audible to other birds and humans. They hover at rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species to 80 per second in small hummingbirds.

Right that's enough cutting and pasting. Four songs for you today with three of them by Leon Russell, Wilco and Smith & McLennan simply called Hummingbird. Dean Owens is the outlier with Land of the Hummingbirds.

I am aware that I caused some controversy last week when I included some musical acts with bird names in the title. This will continue for the rest of the series as the number of songs featuring the birds name will get progressively smaller. In the absence of a bird metaphor I am changing horses in midstream.

This week the Dixie Hummingbirds do the honours

Leon Russell - Hummingbird

Wilco - Hummingbird

Smith & McLennan - Hummingbird

Dean Owens - Land of the Hummingbirds

Dixie Hummingbirds - He Cares For Me