Hummingbirds are amazing little birds that have mastered the art of hovering in midair and flying backwards, thanks to their unique wing structure and rapid wing beats. Their wings are designed to be light and aerodynamic, which allows them to flap up to 80 times per second. This gives them unmatched agility and allows them to float like helicopters. But can they still fly efficiently if their wings get wet?
Quick Answers
Yes, hummingbirds can still fly, but not as well, when their wings get wet. The water on their wings makes them heavier and interferes with the aerodynamics, but they can still generate enough lift and thrust to stay airborne. However, wet wings require more energy and effort from the hummingbird and may put them at greater risk of overheating or exhaustion. To manage wet wings, hummingbirds try to avoid rain when possible, and shake water off their wings or preen to restore their flying ability.
How Hummingbird Wings Work
Hummingbird wings are specifically adapted for hovering and fast forward flight:
- Their bones are hollow and lightweight
- Their wings are relatively long and narrow
- They can flap their wings in a figure-8 pattern to generate lift on both the downstroke and upstroke
- They can rotate their wings to control thrust and hovering
These features allow hummingbirds to produce enough lift to stay aloft and enough thrust to accelerate rapidly in any direction. The faster they flap their wings, the more lift and control they generate.
Why Wet Wings Affect Flight
When hummingbird wings get wet, it interferes with their aerodynamics in a few key ways:
- The water droplets increase the surface area and weight of the wings, requiring more effort to flap
- The smooth wing surface gets disrupted, causing airflow to turbulent
- Water droplets impair the flexibility and movement of the feathers
This reduction in efficiency means the hummingbird has to work harder to hover, maintain altitude, and maneuver. More energy spent on basic flight means less energy for other activities like courtship and foraging.
How Hummingbirds Manage Wet Wings
Hummingbirds have some behavior adaptations to deal with wet wings when it rains:
- Take cover – Hummingbirds will seek shelter in trees, under eaves or awnings to avoid rain
- Preen – They use their beak to squeeze and align each feather shaft to restore alignment
- Shake – They vibrate their bodies rapidly to shed water droplets
- Lower body temperature – They can go into a brief torpor to conserve energy
These behaviors help minimize the impacts of rainfall and allow hummingbirds to resume normal flight as quickly as possible. Long storms or heavy rain may still put them under significant stress.
Effects on Hovering, Maneuverability, and Stamina
Wet wings have the largest impact on a hummingbird’s ability to hover in place. Hovering is extremely energetically demanding, requiring the wings to generate up to their own body weight in lift on each stroke. The inefficiencies caused by wet feathers make thishovering unsustainable.
Wet wings are also detrimental to a hummingbird’s characteristic agility and maneuverability in flight. The flexibility and responsiveness of their wings gets dampened, reducing their ability to make quick turns or rapid accelerations.
Finally, wet wings sap a hummingbird’s endurance and stamina. The added energy expenditure to flap wet wings tires their flight muscles much faster. They may need to take more frequent rests and conserve energy until their wings can fully dry.
Impacts on Feeding and Foraging
The impacts of wet wings on flight ability directly translate to challenges in feeding and foraging. Hummingbirds rely on sustained hovering to drink nectar from flowers, which becomes difficult with wet wings.
Their ability to chase down small insects in midair is also reduced when maneuverability is impaired. This can significantly lower their intake of proteins and fat from insects to supplement their diet.
With wet wings, hummingbirds may not be able to access their normal feeding territories. Competition at prime nectar sources may exclusion them entirely until their flight performance improves. This puts them at risk of inadequate nutrition if rain persists for extended time.
Do Hummingbirds Avoid Flying in the Rain?
In general, hummingbirds will try to avoid flying in heavy rain when possible. However, they sometimes get caught out in sudden storms.
Young fledgling hummingbirds learning to fly are especially vulnerable. If they cannot reach cover, the rain quickly saturates their inexperienced wings and leaves them grounded.
Adult hummingbirds may continue foraging if rain is extremely light or intermittent. Heavier downpours will eventually force them to seek shelter. They may perch under tree branches, patios, or porches until rain passes.
Can Hummingbirds Fly with Wet Wings?
In summary, the key points are:
- Yes, hummingbirds can still fly with wet wings, but not as efficiently
- The water droplets impair hovering, maneuverability, and stamina
- They compensate by preening, shaking, and taking shelter
- Prolonged rain has impacts on feeding, nutrition, and competition
- Fledglings are most vulnerable as inexperienced fliers
So while wet wings are not completely debilitating, they do hinder hummingbirds and make flying much more physically demanding. Prolonged wet conditions could potentially be life threatening to hummingbirds. But they are resilient birds that have adapted to handle occasional rainfall in their habitats.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds have evolved small, specialized wings that give them unparalleled agility in flight. However, those same adaptations come with a tradeoff – their wings are vulnerable when made wet by rain. Water droplets disrupt the aerodynamics and require more energy expenditure to fly. By preening, shaking, and seeking shelter, hummingbirds can restore their flight performance after getting wet. But prolonged or heavy rainfall puts extra physiological stress on hummingbirds that can impact their nutrition and survival. Overall, wet wings are a significant but manageable challenge for hummingbirds that they compensate for with behavioral adaptations.