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The surprising secrets of hummingbird flight - Kristiina J. Hurme & Alejandro Rico-Guevara

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TEDEd Animation

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In just a matter of seconds, hummingbirds can perform astonishing aerial acrobatics, eat lunch in midair, pollinate a flower, even escape threats while upside-down. And they can do this all while achieving sustained hovering flight— an aerial feat no other bird can perform. How do they do it? Kristiina J. Hurme and Alejandro Rico-Guevara explore the incredible flying capabilities of hummingbirds.

The pectoral muscles can account for how much of a hummingbird’s bodyweight?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alejandro Rico-Guevara, Kristiina J. Hurme
  • Director Lisa Vertudaches
  • Narrator Jack Cutmore-Scott
  • Storyboard Artist Lisa Vertudaches
  • Animator Lisa Vertudaches, Amy Charlick
  • Compositor Lisa Vertudaches
  • Art Director Lisa Vertudaches, Nick Rees
  • Composer Phil Brookes
  • Sound Designer Phil Brookes
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
  • Supplementary Materials Writer Alyssa Sargent

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