I found this information in the book Why Don’t Jumbo Jets Flap Their Wings? by David E. Alexander. This excellent book provides clear explanations of all aspects of flight – be it birds, planes or insects!

Find more information, stunning photographs and an A to Z directory of hummingbirds in Hummingbirds by Ben Sonder.

To learn more about how birds fly check out How Do Birds Fly? by Melissa Stewart. There are some interesting pictures of birds’ lightweight bones and feathers that enable flight.

Birds: Nature’s magnificent flying machines by Caroline Arnold shows some excellent pictures of how wings flap, explains the aerodynamics of bird flight, and shows some pictures of other flying animals such as squirrels, snakes, fish, bats and frogs!

Linda