Nature's hummingbird special
Photo credit: AP/San Antonio Express-News, Joe Barrera
If you missed the Nature episode, Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air on Sunday night, you can now view it on-line.
The episode of the PBS show drew rave reviews for its portrayal of this tiny but tough bird, with a metabolism that keeps it constantly on the edge of survival. Hummingbirds are called the most elite athletes of the animal world.
Most of us think hummingbirds live on nectar, but the truth is, they fill their calorie requirements with insects, and it is their speed and agility in the air that makes them tremendous hunters.
It is the wonder of high-speed video that allows us to enter the world of the hummingbird for the first time, and the show includes a great deal you didn't know about this colorful little creature, including the secrets of its evolutionary bond with flowers.
There are other features on the Web site as well, including an interactive map showing where hummingbirds are found and an interview with the show's producer.
