From lifers to optics to vagrants, birding has a vocabulary all its own. Birders who are especially fond of hummingbirds, however, know there are even more special words for these special birds. Knowing how to “talk the talk” about hummingbirds can help you learn even more about these amazing birds and share that knowledge to get others excited about their own flying jewels.

Top 10 Unique Hummingbird Vocabulary Words

There are many bird words – habitat, migration, range – that can apply to all birds, including hummingbirds. Nevertheless, some terms apply more specifically to hummers and can be useful for better understanding the smallest of birds.

1. Trochilidae
   The scientific bird family classification that encompasses all hummingbird species. While each of the more than 325 different hummingbirds has its own species name, they all belong to the Trochilidae family.
2. Iridescent
   The shiny, metallic-like feathers that shimmer and glow in proper light but can dramatically change color at different angles and light levels. These feathers can be great for hummingbird identification.
3. Gorget
   A hummingbird’s colorful throat. For many species, the shape, color, and markings of the gorget can be a key field mark for males, though female’s throats are often more plain and can be confused between different hummingbirds.
4. Nectar
   The natural sugar-water produced by flowers that is a key hummingbird food source. Many flowers have trumpet-like blooms that create nectar reservoirs for hummingbirds. Commercial or homemade sugar water is a good substitute.
5. Annual
   A flower that lives its entire lifespan in a single season but will not regrow from the same plant the next year. Annuals are often very brightly colored and showy, ideal for attracting hummingbirds.
6. Perennial
   A flower that goes dormant in the winter and will regrow from the same plant the next year without the need for replanting. These are hardier plants but may not be as showy, though they can still be great for hummingbirds.
7. Hover
   The act of flying in place, remaining airborne and relatively motionless but without perching. Hummingbirds are excellent at hovering and will hover at flowers as they sip nectar. They can also fly backwards and sideways!
8. Torpor
   A type of temporary hibernation, typically overnight when temperatures drop, when hummingbirds can seem to “sleep” with very low respiration and heartrates. This conserves energy through the night until the day warms up again.
9. Pollination
   The act of transferring pollen from one flowering plant to another as part of the plants’ reproductive process. Hummingbirds are key pollinators of flowers as pollen sticks to their bills and foreheads while they flit from bloom to bloom.
10. Traplining
    Feeding behavior in which a hummingbird visits the same flowers on a somewhat predictable rotation. This is similar to a trapper checking his lines as the birds check each nectar-rich flower, and can be great for hummingbird photography.

Many other birds can be associated with these vocabulary words, such as orioles and their fondness for nectar and the different swifts and nightjars that also use torpor on cold nights. Nevertheless, each one is intimately associated with hummingbirds and offers insights into what makes these birds so special!