Many people wonder if the tiny, fast-flying creatures hovering near flowers in Europe are hummingbirds. No; true hummingbirds are not native to Europe. This confusion arises because other species, particularly insects, have evolved similar appearance and behavior.
True Hummingbirds: Where They Really Live
Hummingbirds belong to the family Trochilidae. They are exclusively found in the Americas, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Most of their 375 species thrive in tropical and subtropical Central and South America.
They are small, measuring 7.5 to 13 centimeters and weighing only a few grams. Their rapid wingbeats, from 12 to 99 per second, create the characteristic humming sound. Their specialized long bills and tongues allow them to feed on nectar while hovering. They are also the only birds capable of sustained backward flight.
Europe’s Amazing Impostors
The creature most frequently mistaken for a hummingbird in Europe is the Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). This day-flying moth is found across temperate Eurasia, including Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. It resembles hummingbirds due to its feeding habits and hovering flight.
The Hummingbird Hawk-moth has a fuzzy, grayish-brown body, grey-brown forewings, and orange hindwings visible in flight. It feeds on nectar by hovering in front of flowers and extending a long proboscis, mimicking a hummingbird’s bill. Its wings beat rapidly, up to 85 times per second, producing an audible humming sound, enhancing the illusion. This similarity results from convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.
Spotting the Difference
Distinguishing a true hummingbird from its European look-alikes involves observing several biological differences. The most fundamental distinction lies in their classification: hummingbirds are birds, with feathers, a skeletal structure, and a beak, while the look-alikes are insects, with an exoskeleton and scales.
A bird’s wings are feathered and bony, whereas a moth’s wings are membranous with visible veins. Moths also have antennae, which birds do not. When feeding, a hummingbird uses a rigid, pointed beak, while the Hummingbird Hawk-moth unfurls a long, coiled proboscis to access nectar.
Birds have small legs primarily for perching and cannot walk or hop, whereas moths have six legs, typically tucked away during flight. Both produce a humming sound from their rapid wing movements, but the specific quality of the sound can differ upon closer listening. Observing these distinct features helps identify these creatures.