Hummingbirds and owls may seem like very different types of birds at first glance. Hummingbirds are tiny, colorful, and feed on nectar. Owls are larger, mostly nocturnal birds that hunt rodents and other small prey. Despite their differences, hummingbirds and owls do share some common anatomical features since they are both birds. However, they belong to separate taxonomic orders and their evolutionary paths diverged long ago.
Taxonomy and evolution
Hummingbirds belong to the order Apodiformes, along with swifts. Owls belong to the order Strigiformes. Apodiformes and Strigiformes are both part of the larger clade Aves, which contains all birds. The most recent common ancestor of hummingbirds and owls was the progenitor bird from which all modern Aves emerged.
While hummingbirds and owls share characteristics with other birds, such as feathers, wings, beaks, and laying hard-shelled eggs, they diverged evolutionarily as separate orders millions of years ago. The oldest known fossil evidence of hummingbirds dates back 30 million years to Europe. Owls also have a long fossil history extending back to the Paleocene epoch, over 50 million years ago.
Although they once shared a common ancestor, hummingbirds and owls have followed very different evolutionary paths. Hummingbirds evolved nectar-feeding adaptations like specialized beaks and tongues along with hover-flight. Owls evolved exceptional hearing and vision for hunting at night. These unique adaptations suited each order to their own ecological niches.
Anatomy and physiology
Despite their evolutionary divergence, hummingbirds and owls retain some anatomical and physiological similarities since they are both birds. For example:
- Hummingbirds and owls both have feathers, wings, light but durable skeletal structures, and other features of avian anatomy.
- Their circulatory systems are closed, with 4-chambered hearts.
- They both have hollow bones, which aids in flight.
- Hummingbird and owl eggs have hard shells and contain yolk and albumen.
- Both hummingbirds and owls possess excellent vision and good hearing compared to many other animals.
However, adaptations specific to their lifestyles have also produced differences:
- Hummingbirds have slender, specialized beaks and extendable tongues to access nectar.
- Owls have sharp, hooked beaks optimized for tearing meat.
- Most owl species have asymmetrical ears located at different heights to precisely locate prey based on sound.
- Hummingbirds have higher metabolisms and heart rates to meet the energy demands of hover-flying.
- Owls possess exceptional night vision and hearing compared to hummingbirds.
While they share a common ancestry, hummingbirds and owls have distinctive anatomies reflecting their unique ways of life.
Habitat and behavior
The habitats and behaviors of hummingbirds and owls also showcase their differences:
Hummingbirds
- Found in the Americas only, inhabiting tropical to temperate climates.
- Most hummingbird species are solitary.
- Expend lots of energy feeding on nectar and defend flower territories.
- Specialized hover-flight allows access to flowers.
- Some hummingbird behaviors like mating displays involve elaborate aerial maneuvers.
- Hummingbirds have excellent color vision used to find flowers and mates.
- Highly active and buzz from flower to flower all day.
Owls
- Found worldwide on every continent except Antarctica.
- Most owl species are nocturnal and roost alone or in pairs.
- Hunt small prey like rodents, frogs, and insects.
- Silent flight lets them approach prey undetected.
- Some species have elaborate courtship songs.
- Excellent night vision and hearing suited to low light.
- Roost calmly through the day and go on short hunting flights at night.
The differences in habitat range, social behavior, flight, senses, activity patterns, and diet between hummingbirds and owls reflect their long independent evolution.
Reproduction
Hummingbirds and owls also exhibit some differences in their reproductive biology:
| Trait | Hummingbirds | Owls |
|---|---|---|
| Courtship | Elaborate aerial displays by males | Duetting songs between pairs |
| Nest sites | Small cups of plant material in trees/bushes | Tree hollows, caves, old nests |
| Clutch size | 2 eggs per brood normally | 2-12 eggs depending on species |
| Incubation | 14-23 days | 21-37 days |
| Care of young | Female only | Female primarily, some male support |
The reproductive strategies of each order have adapted to suit their particular histories and ecological roles, though they retain similarities common to birds.
Classification
While hummingbirds and owls are both classified scientifically as birds, they belong to different taxonomic orders:
- Hummingbirds
- Order: Apodiformes
- Suborder: Trochili
- Family: Trochilidae
- Owls
- Order: Strigiformes
- Family: Strigidae
There are over 300 species of hummingbirds in the family Trochilidae and around 200 owl species in the family Strigidae. However, the orders Apodiformes and Strigiformes themselves diverged roughly 58 million years ago by one estimate. While they share qualities as birds, hummingbirds and owls are taxonomically distinct.
Conclusion
In summary, while hummingbirds and owls are both classified as birds and share some anatomical and physiological similarities, they belong to completely different taxonomic orders that diverged evolutionarily tens of millions of years ago. They have adopted very different specialized adaptations over time related to their habitats, diets, activity patterns, flight, and senses. So in a taxonomic sense, hummingbirds and owls are not closely related at all and their distinctiveness reflects a long, independent evolutionary history. So the answer to the opening question is no, hummingbirds and owls are not closely related despite some common features they share as birds. Their orders split off from each other long ago.
