Hummingbirds: A Beginner's Guide

Aziz, Laurel

ISBN 10: 1552094871 ISBN 13: 9781552094877

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2002

Synopsis

The hummingbird brings a whole new meaning to the word "unique." Boasting the smallest bird in the world, this family ranges in size from the two inch long bumblebee hummingbird to the giant hummingbird, which reaches a length of eight inches. The hummer's metabolism is as powerful as the engine of a high-performance race car, its heart pumping at a stunning 1,260 beats per minute to maintain a steamy body temperature of 105 degrees F. Its mighty chest muscles account for more than one third of its weight and allow it to flap disproportionately large wings at a dizzying 50 to 200 times per second. No wonder a hummingbird sighting in a backyard garden is cause for delighted celebration. In Hummingbirds: A Beginner's Guide, award-winning writer Laurel Aziz explores these details and many more, bringing to life this tiny force of nature. Hummingbirds is illustrated throughout with stunning full color photographs.

About this title

About the Author

Laurel Aziz is a frequent contributor to Canadian Geographic and Canadian Wildlife. She is also the coauthor, with Adrian Forsyth, of Animal Architecture and Exploring the World of Birds and the author of Decoys, Wildfowl Art and Yellowstone, all published by Firefly Books.

Reviews

Grade 7-Up "Mesmerizing" describes these little birds whose behavior, ecology, and physical characteristics are depicted in this slim, colorful work. From their specialized beaks, to methods of flight, nest building, and courtship rituals, the birds are illustrated with well-labeled color photos. Though the information is standard for that found in most bird books, the descriptive writing and the intriguing life of these hummers make this more than a beginner's guide; some basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology will be helpful to understand the significance of mitochondria or nictitating membranes. This book could serve as a springboard to more reading about or observation of these little creatures; at the very least, readers will want to put up a hummingbird feeder. Millie Miller and Cyndi Nelson's Hummers: Hummingbirds of North America (Johnson, 1987) is a combination field guide and reference; Aziz's work is more complete than Peter Murray's Hummingbirds (Child's World, 1993; o.p.) or Esther Quesada Tyrrell's Hummingbirds (Crown, 1992; o.p.). -Pam Spencer Holley, Young Adult Literature Specialist, Virginia Beach, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 5-8. This colorful, large-format book surveys the habits of hummingbirds. The subtitle proclaims this a "Beginner's Guide," and the format looks accessible to the publisher's stated age range of 9-12, but the vocabulary and length of sentences indicate an older (even adult) reader. For anyone with the reading skills to take advantage of it, the book offers a good deal of information illustrated with many clearly reproduced, brightly colored photos from many sources. Topics of discussion include the birds' metabolism, bills, vision, feathers, flight, migration, nesting, and hazards, as well as how to attract hummingbirds to one's yard. A fully annotated list of Web sites rounds out the presentation. For larger collections. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1552094871
• ISBN 13: 9781552094877
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 64