Hummingbirds are small birds that feed on the nectar of flowers. They have many adaptations that make them well-suited to this task. Their long beaks and tongues allow them to reach deep into tube-shaped flowers. They are able to fly backwards or hover in place because they flap their wings many times per second. Their small feet make them more aerodynamic, but they are unable to use them to walk or jump!
Hummingbirds are among the smallest of birds. The largest, the giant hummingbird, is 8 inches (20 centimeters) in length and weighs less than an ounce (20 grams). The smallest is the bee hummingbird of cuba. It is 5.5 cm in length and weighs only 2 g. Hummingbird eggs are likewise tiny, and their cup-shaped nests are often held together by spider webs !
Did you know? Though there are over 300 distinct species, hummingbirds are unique to North and South America. Names for them include "coquette, fairy, hill star, wood star, sapphire, topaz, sun gem, and sylph." Other types of animals including bats, moths, and other small birds fill their pollinator niche in the gardens and jungles of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
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Would you like to draw an elegant, realistic cartoon hummingbird? You can learn how by following the steps in this easy cartoon bird drawing tutorial. You’ll need a pencil and an eraser. Likely, you’ll want to use bright colors to shade your finished drawing.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Dove, Peacock, and Eagle.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing a Hummingbird
1. Begin by drawing an oval. This will become the hummingbird’s head.
2. Draw a small circle within the oval. From it, use straight lines to draw a triangle passing out of it. These will help you to draw the hummingbird’s eye and neck.
3. Use straight lines to enclose another, larger triangle - the hummingbird’s wing. Notice that it shares a side with the previous triangle.
4. Use straight lines to enclose another triangle - another wing. It too shares a side with the other triangles. Then, enclose a triangle on one side of the oval to form the bird’s beak. A third line should pass through the middle of it.
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5. Draw a straight line across the second triangle. Below it, use straight lines to outline a pentagon. Draw a straight line down the center of it. This is the hummingbird’s tail.
6. Use curved lines to contour the wings and tail. Note that one line travels from the bird’s shoulder, around the tail, and culminates at the belly.
7. Erase the geometric guide lines from the wings and tail.
8. Use straight lines to enclose a triangle on the near wing and on the tail.
9. Draw curved lines along the sides of the body and the triangle on the wing, contouring them. Draw a jagged line, made up of shorter straight lines, within the triangle of the tail.
10. Draw a curved line across the bottom of the beak.
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11. Draw curved lines along the wings, indicating the flight feathers.
12. Draw straight lines along the tail, indicating the individual feathers.
13. Draw small “U” shaped lines at the base of the flight feathers of the near wing.
14. Draw small “U” shaped lines at the tip of each flight feather.
15. Draw a “U” shaped line at the tip of each of the feathers of the tail.
16. Erase the guide lines from the head, neck, tail, wing, and feathers. Shade the eye. Draw small “M” shaped lines to indicate the feet.
17. Color your cartoon hummingbird. In North America, most hummingbirds are green or brown, and the males have triangular patches of red on their throats. Elsewhere, however, hummingbirds may be splotched with blues, purples, or other colors.
Printable Drawing Tutorial
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Kind of confuzing but very helpful
Hey Lucy, this is a more "in detail" tutorial. You can check my other bird drawing guides, they are easier to learn!