There is much we don't know about hummingbirds.  There are so many species and each one has adapted to its own little world.  Some migrate thousands of miles every year and some stick to their tiny area for their whole lives.  

No other bird is like the hummingbird.  It is only in the last decade that scientists have discovered exactly how they fly and how they eat.  There is much research to be done.  

Ornithologists from major universities are in North, Central and South America learning and studying behaviors of different hummingbirds.  

Hummingbird banders are studying the lifespan and migration patterns of many different species.  But the number of banded hummingbirds is low compared to songbirds.  Not everyone can band a hummingbird.  Banders are federally authorized and there is a rigorous certification process.  Being a bander is a lifelong commitment.  

Stay tuned for more information on particular studies that are undergoing.