The mechanisms behind the effortless way that hummingbirds fly backwards have been revealed in a recent study.
Although hummingbirds routinely fly backwards, it has never before been scientifically described in detail.
University of California scientists Dr Nir Sapir and Robert Dudley, recorded the birds' flight biomechanics using high-speed cameras and oxygen uptake.
They found that hummingbirds' backward flight uses similar amounts of energy to flying forwards.
The results are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Backward flight is frequently used by members of the hummingbird family as they reverse from a nectar-bearing flower after feeding.
Dr Sapir noticed this while observing hummingbirds on a feeder.
Read on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/19731176
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