Hummingbirds are one of the smallest birds known to man. They hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-80 times per second (depending on the species). While I was photographing one such moment, of a hummingbird flapping its wings near a feeder, a certain thought dawned on me. Aren’t we humans somewhat like the hummingbirds — flapping our wings away without awareness?
The flapping of wings consumes a tremendous amount of energy — so much so that the hummingbird have the highest metabolism of all animals. However, in order to strike a balance, they enter a hibernation-like state known as torpor. During torpor, the heart rate and the rate of breathing are both slowed dramatically and their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate giving them relatively long lifespans for organisms with such rapid metabolism. There lies the secret of good health and prolonged lifespan. Take a leaf out of a hummingbird’s book and strike a balance.
