Resource: A Variety of Hummingbirds
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 2m 50s
Size: 8.0 MB
The featherweights of the bird world, hummingbirds are native to South America, where flowers are abundant and in bloom year round. There are over 300 species of hummingbirds with varying tails, beaks, head plumes, and colorations. This video segment from Nature introduces viewers to several species of hummingbirds.
Alternate Media Available:
Transcript (Rich Text Format Document)
Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, A Variety of Hummingbirds, published November 18, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/nat08.living.evodiv.natur.humbird/
- Background Essay
- Questions for Discussion
- Standards
Print Background EssayAs hummingbirds and other bird species evolved over time, they developed a variety of traits and skills beneficial to both the birds themselves and to the continuation of their species. The vast array of hummingbird species is an example of the result of these evolutionary processes. Certain birds have developed beaks allowing them to feed at particular flowers, others have cultivated brightly colored plumage, and yet others are known for the exceptional skills at navigation. Many highly skilled bird behaviors are innate - certain bird species are born with these abilities, as is the case of the homing pigeon’s innate homing ability. Scientists often do not know how these skills have been acquired in the population, except to note that these traits became advantageous for the birds as their populations evolved in their respective environments.
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See Also:
K-12 Subject:
Natural Selection
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
Source: Nature: "Extraordinary Birds"
Resource Produced by:
Collection Developed by:
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Major corporate support for the Nature collection was provided by Canon U.S.A. and SC Johnson. Additional support was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the nation’s public television stations.