Tony Tilford

Hummingbird plumage comes in all colors--emerald, ruby, sapphire, azure, garnet and topaz--no wonder they're often called "jewels in flight." These endlessly fascinating little birds have long captured man's imagination with their spectacular beauty and a seemingly magical ability to hover in mid-air. Discover these remarkable little birds in The Complete Book of Hummingbirds by avian expert Tony Tilford.

- This is the ultimate reference guide to hummingbirds, featuring a comprehensive overview of the birds' biology, evolution, behavior, breeding, and migration patterns.

- Hummingbirds, named for the sound caused by the very fast beating of their wings, have the fastest beat of any bird, approaching 200 beats per second!

- You'll be awestruck by the amazing collection of full-color photographsdepicting hummingbirds in flight and at restin the Gallery of Hummingbirds.

- Aside from insects, hummingbirds in flight have the highest metabolism of any animal on earth. To survive, they must consume more than 1.5 times their body weight in fluids and nectar daily. That means they must visit hundreds of flowers every single day-no wonder it seems they never rest!

- Learn how to attract hungry hummingbirds to your garden! Discover the kinds of plants and flowers that they love to visit and how to create artificial feeding stations by making your own hummingbird food.

- From Woodnymphs and Mountain-Gems to Plovercrests and Hillstars, this thorough book describes all of the hummingbirds of the world and also includes a helpful reference section, complete with a glossary, recommended web sites and further reading.