Experts were surprised to learn that hummingbirds also have the ability to “snore” like humans.
For us, snoring is not only destructive to relationships, but also to our health – stopping breathing (breathing interrupted briefly) – during sleep.
But have you ever wondered that besides humans, are there any creatures that can snore? The BBC recently presented evidence to prove that hummingbirds can ‘snore’ just like humans.
According to experts, snoring in mammals occurs when the airways may be narrow or the airflow is obstructed, the vibrations are surreal. But this is not the case with hummingbirds.
Instead, the “snoring” sound is heard when this hummingbird wakes up from a brief hibernation – the time it takes for the hummingbird to recharge its energy levels.
One of the other characteristics of hibernating hummingbirds is that their hearts beat fast – about 1260 times per minute, and their body temperatures will drop lower than that of other warm-blooded creatures when they sleep. Hummingbirds also have the highest metabolism of any other vertebrate, which in part helps them conserve energy in their own way.
After further study, experts found that when hummingbirds are in a “coma,” they use very little oxygen. Although this will save them a lot of energy, it will be difficult for them to wake up.
Because at “dawn”, they need a large amount of oxygen (equivalent to the size of the body) to start warming up, thus raising their body temperature to wake up.
The noise they make may be due to the combination of consuming oxygen and warming up which raises body temperature. Some experts suggest that this rhythmic panting is a sign of stress, even death.
However, many others shared, when the hummingbird woke up, it took to the skies looking healthy and still energetic in search of the first bite of food of the day.
