Hummingbird Garden Postcard

Did you know that the Hummingbird Garden in Costa Rica attracts 26 different species of hummingbirds, more than any other country and quite possibly the world. Approximately 57 different hummingbirds have been reportedly seen in Costa Rica and it is possible to see over 40% of them here! Because you can stand just inches away from the feeders and our hummingbirds have no fear of humans our hummingbird garden is the best place in the world to photograph hummingbirds close up. If you arrive before 9:00 AM or after 4:00 PM you can feed them by hand with our specially designed hand feeding flower. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.513 cm (3.5 in) range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12.80 times per second (depending on the species). They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which sometimes sounds like bees or other insects. To conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they have the ability to go into a hibernation-like state (torpor) where their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate. When the nights get colder, their body temperature can drop significantly and thus slow down their heart and breathing rate, thus burning much less energy overnight. As the day heats back up, the hummingbirds' body temperature will come back up and they resume their normal activity. They can fly at speeds exceeding 15 m/s (54 km/h; 34 mph); they are also the only group of birds with the ability to "fly backwards". Individuals from some species of hummingbirds weigh less than a penny. This amazing amage was taken at the Hummingbird Garden in Costa Rica and photo(s) captured in the wild caused no harm or disturbance to their natural habitats.