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When we think of evolution, we look at slow changes that take place within a species over the course of very long periods of time. It is not uncommon to see specific traits evolving over dozens, or even hundreds of generations of an animal, which can take thousands of years. Sometimes, however, things move more quickly.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the famously quick hummingbird has gone through some significant evolution in a shockingly brief period of time. According to a study published in the journal Global Change Biology, the hummingbirds in California are evolving to change the shape and size of their beaks. It is believed that these changes can be directly attributed to humans.
The study specifically looks at wild Anna’s Hummingbirds (Calypte anna), which live in California. If you look at the data collected about them from 1938 to 2019, you will notice some remarkable changes.
Early in this time period, these hummingbirds lived only in warm regions such as Mexico and Southern California. Today, however, they can be found in much cooler regions, even being seen all the way up in southern Alaska. While some of this can be attributed to global climate change, the biggest factor, researchers believe, is the trend of putting out hummingbird feeders.
As it became popular to put out these feeders, the hummingbirds could survive in much larger areas because food was no longer scarce. In addition, there have been a lot of eucalyptus trees planted in these regions, which are great for hummingbirds. These two things combined make it far easier for the hummingbirds to survive.
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Expanding their territory, however, is not necessarily evolution. Where that comes in is with the size and shape of their beaks. For many of these birds that still live in the warmer climates, their beaks have become longer and sharper, with notable changes coming as recently as the last ten generations.
This shape fits better with the artificial bird feeders that they thrive on today. In addition, the sharper beak may be good for poking away predators or competing with other hummingbirds for the nector in the feeders.
There is evidence that hummingbirds also use their beaks as a way to get rid of excess heat. These birds move so quickly that they generate a lot of heat, so being able to get rid of it efficiently is important. A longer beak will help do just that. Hummingbirds that are living further north in cooler climates, however, are actually evolving in the opposite direction.
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Scientists believe that these northern hummingbirds are evolving to have shorter beaks so that they can retain more of their heat in the cooler climates. One might wonder if the evolution continues at this pace, how long would it be before these traits constitute listing them as separate members of the hummingbird family?
Needless to say, scientists studying these hummingbirds will be keeping a close eye on the situation to see just how they evolve in the years to come.
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