Hummingbirds are incredible creatures that have mastered the art of hovering in midair and flying backwards, a feat that few other birds can accomplish. Their unique anatomy allows them to hover and maneuver with precision in order to feed on flower nectar. But one thing that hummingbirds don’t do well is walk or hop on the ground.
Can hummingbirds walk or hop?
The simple answer is no, hummingbirds cannot walk or hop like other birds. Their feet and legs are not designed for walking or perching. Their feet are quite small with very weak toes that are used primarily for perching on branches and flowers.
When on the ground, hummingbirds may shuffle or even use their wings to briefly “hover” across very short distances, but they cannot truly walk or hop. Their legs are short and their feet are not meant for sustained contact with the ground.
Hummingbird feet and legs
To understand why hummingbirds can’t walk, let’s take a closer look at their specialized feet and legs:
- Very small feet – A hummingbird’s feet are tiny, accounting for less than 1% of their total body size.
- Weak toes – Their toes are not muscular or strong enough to provide leverage or grip when walking.
- Minimal range of motion – Their legs cannot move forward and backward to take full steps like other birds.
- Highly rotated legs – Their legs are fixed in a rotated position ideal for perching and little else.
- No hind toe – Most small perching birds have four toes, but hummingbirds only have three forward-facing toes.
In essence, a hummingbird’s feet are adapted for one main purpose – tightly gripping and perching on branches and flowers while feeding. They are not built for extended use on the ground.
Other adaptations for feeding while hovering
In addition to their small feet, hummingbirds have other adaptations that maximize their ability to feed while hovering, but minimize their ability to walk or run:
- Short legs – Their legs are very short relative to their bodies, further limiting stride length on the ground.
- Tibialis muscle – This key leg muscle is reduced, because its anti-gravity function is not essential during hovering.
- Tarsus fusion – The ankle bone is fused to the leg bone, restricting motion.
- Toe arrangement – With three forward-facing toes, they cannot grasp branches or walk like songbirds.
Behavior when on the ground
Given their physical limitations, hummingbirds tend to avoid spending time on the ground if they can help it. However, they may end up grounded if they become injured or exhausted.
When forced to move on the ground, they will shuffle along by wiggling their tail and fluttering their wings to briefly propel themselves forward. Their feet do not provide significant traction, so they have a clumsy waddling gait and do not move quickly or with stability.
Here is how hummingbirds behave when on the ground:
- Use wings to hover just above ground in short bursts
- Shuffle feet and tail to make slow, small progress
- Movements are awkward and halting
- Have difficulty maintaining balance and orientation
- Flutter wings frequently to keep from tipping over
- Unable to walk more than a few meters at a time
Why can’t hummingbirds walk well?
Hummingbirds’ inability to walk well boils down to two key evolutionary adaptations:
- Small size – Hummingbird ground locomotion is constrained by their tiny size. At 2-20 grams, they are too light for walking to be effective.
- Hovering specialists – Nearly every aspect of their anatomy has become specialized for hovering flight and feeding while airborne.
To hover with precision, hummingbirds had to trade-off certain anatomical features like strong legs and feet in favor of lightness and aerial agility. This came at the expense of walking ability.
Over time, natural selection reinforced adaptations that enhanced hovering and minimized time on the ground since hummingbirds get most food while airborne. Minimized leg muscles also allow more weight to be devoted to pectoral hover muscles.
Survival implications
The fact that hummingbirds are essentially grounded when on the terrain puts them at higher risk of predation. Their survival depends on finding secure perches off the ground. This is why you will rarely spot a hummingbird walking for more than a few seconds at a time.
However, hummingbirds can survive short periods of time on the ground if they have cover and are uninjured. Conserving energy is vital when grounded, so they may enter torpor, a hibernation-like state. Their camouflage coloration also helps protect them.
If you find a grounded hummingbird, providing sugar water can help energize it. With time and rest, it may recover enough strength to fly up to a perch. Moving them off the ground also reduces predation risk.
Do hummingbird feet ever touch the ground?
Hummingbirds’ feet do occasionally touch the ground when the birds are perching, landing, or taking off. When approaching a feeder or flower, their legs will dangle below them in preparation for contact.
However, touches are brief – just 1/10 of a second as they swiftly land or take off again. When perching, they prefer branches and stems that are narrow enough to grip securely. This minimizes need for their feet to exert force.
Moments when feet are in contact with the ground:
- Briefly when arriving at a perch
- When leaving a perch during takeoff
- If they lose balance on a perch
- Rarely when shuffling along the ground
- When collecting nest materials on the ground
So while hummingbird feet sometimes briefly touch terrain, it is an unstable position that their anatomy is not adapted for. They favor keeping their feet planted on appropriately-sized perches.
Interesting facts about hummingbird feet
- Like other birds, they have four toes but the fourth is greatly reduced
- Their feet make up less than 1% of their total body weight
- They have sharp claws for hanging onto perches
- Their feet can grip with up to 10 times their body weight
- Young chicks have more muscular feet to use while in nests
- To reduce weight, their foot bones are hollow
- The bottoms of their feet are textured, but not rough enough for walking
- They have a thickened heel “sole” that helps grip perches
- Their feet are usually bright red or pinkish
While designed for perching and not walking, hummingbird feet are fascinatingly adapted to their unique lifestyles.
Conclusion
In summary, hummingbirds are specialized for flight and have feet adapted specifically for perching, not walking. While their feet may briefly touch down, hummingbirds are essentially unable to walk or hop across the ground like many other birds. Forced ground contact puts them in danger, emphasizing the importance of their ability to swiftly fly to safety. Their lifestyles in the air come at the cost of any talent for pedestrian locomotion. Next time you see a hummingbird, take a moment to appreciate the unique wonder embodied in those tiny, delicate feet.
