Hummingbirds are amazing little birds that have captivated people for centuries with their beauty, speed, and intriguing behaviors. One aspect of hummingbirds that people often wonder about is what they use their feet for, since they seem so tiny and delicate. In this article, we’ll explore the various uses hummingbirds have for their feet and how these appendages help them survive.
Perching
The main function of a hummingbird’s feet is for perching. Their feet have a unique anatomy that allows them to efficiently grip onto branches, wires, and other surfaces. The toes are arranged into couples, with three facing forward and one facing backward. This gives the feet additional gripping power. The toes also have sharp, curved claws for hanging on. And the bottoms of their feet have rough pads that help create friction against smooth surfaces like leaves and glass.
While perched, hummingbirds can swiftly swivel their necks to look around for food and predators from their fixed vantage point. They periodically need to rest their rapidly beating wings, and their grasping feet allow them to perch and conserve energy between flights. This is essential since they have among the highest metabolic rates of any animals.
Building Nests
Hummingbirds employ their feet to create their tiny nests out of soft materials like plant down and spider webs. The nests provide a secure place to lay and incubate eggs. To build the nest, hummingbirds use their feet to steadily collect the nest materials as they fly from place to place. They then use their feet to form a cup shape by pressing the materials into place around the rim of a branch or other support structure. The curvature of their claws allows them to hook and weave the fibers together.
Female hummingbirds also use their feet to create a soft interior by packing down the middle with materials like soft plant fibers and animal hair. Some species even decorate the outside with lichen or moss to help camouflage it. The dexterity and control they have with their feet allows them to construct precisely shaped small nests in a variety of locations.
Grooming
Like most birds, hummingbirds use their feet to groom and maintain their plumage. Good feather maintenance through preening is essential for both flight and thermoregulation. They run their feet through their feathers to realign barbules and remove dirt and parasites. They also scratch itchy spots with their claws and rub oils from glands near their tails onto their feathers for added weatherproofing and shine.
Their long tongues frequently collect sticky pollen and sap while feeding, which they then need to wipe off onto branches. Rubbing pollen buildup off their faces and beaks helps keep their senses clear and their feathers dirt-free.
Thermoregulation
Hummingbirds’ feet play a small role in maintaining their body temperature as well. When perching, they can alter the position of their feet to control their exposure to outside air temperature. Tucking their feet up beneath them helps conserve heat when cold. Adjusting their feet out into the air can assist with cooling and prevent overheating.
They may also flutter their feet against their bodies, creating a fanning effect to dissipate heat. The multiple blood vessels running through their feet may help facilitate some heat exchange too.
Defense and Communication
Hummingbirds can use their feet in displays to scare off predators and communicate with each other. During a threat, they may flare out their tail and feet to appear larger and more intimidating. Pointing their feet and claws out could also indicate preparation to fight if necessary. They may also drum their feet against a substrate rapidly to create a trilling sound as a warning.
Males can employ tail and foot displays during courtship rituals to attract females as well. Coordinated feather movements along with foot waggling and scratching are thought to demonstrate vigor and quality during breeding displays.
Walking and Climbing
While hummingbirds spend the vast majority of their time flying, they occasionally walk and climb with their feet too. Young hummingbirds that have not developed full flight control will stomp and shuffle along branches and the ground. Adults may walk along perches and the edges of nests while building them.
Their toes can grasp around branches and bark to shuffle sideways or upside down like a woodpecker. This allows them to exploit food sources all over trees and bushes, not just the flowers. They can reach crawling insects and tree sap by using their feet for climbing and clinging in acrobatic positions.
Carrying Nest Materials
Hummingbirds have been observed carrying nest materials in their feet as they fly. Small pieces of down, feathers, or spider silk may be pinched between their feet and transported back to the nest location. This frees up their beaks for nectar feeding during the construction process.
Their tails may also come into play, with some species observed intertwining their tail feathers to create a makeshift basket for carrying materials. The flexibility of their feet, toes, and claws allows them to hold gathered items during transport.
Scratching and Rearranging
Hummingbirds sometimes scratch themselves with their feet while perched, likely to relieve itches. They can reach a surprising number of body areas with their long necks and feet, including the head, wings, and belly areas. Much like parrots, they may occasionally use their feet to actively rearrange and realign feathers into proper positions after scratching.
Young hummingbirds may also scratch at their nests and parents during feeding time, signaling food requests. The parents are usually undeterred by the scratching when delivering the food.
Hanging Upside-Down
An unconventional but useful position hummingbirds sometimes get themselves into is hanging completely upside-down from a perch. They can lock their specially adapted feet into place and then fully relax their necks and heads upside-down. This may help them rest more deeply and conserve energy overnight.
Hanging upside-down also enables unique feeding angles for nectar and insects. Transitioning to inverted feeding can surprise both competitors at feeders and insect prey trying to escape.
Pumping Blood
Research has found that hummingbirds appear to rhythmically pump their feet even while sitting completely still. Very slight movements of their toe tendons activate a muscular pump that moves blood through vessels called retia. This constant pumping likely aids their circulation and helps provide oxygen throughout their bodies even without flying.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds’ feet play a vital role in their lives despite their small size. From establishing secure perches for rest to building intricate nests, hummingbird feet have evolved for specialized precision and dexterity. They enable behaviors like grooming, climbing, scratching, nest material transport, and even innovative feeding positions. And their constant hidden foot pumping exemplifies the incredible adaptations hummingbirds have evolved to survive and thrive with extremely high metabolisms and demanding lifestyles.
So next time you see a hummingbird, take a moment to admire its fast-beating wings. But don’t forget about its hard-working feet making the hummingbird’s nonstop lifestyle possible!
