Know Flight: Fanciful Hummingbirds and Their Feats of Flight

Learn about the avian world’s masters of flight: Hummingbirds!

This is an in-person program. Wearing a face covering is optional at all library events.

In this presentation, you’ll learn fascinating facts about the unique and acrobatic flying abilities of hummingbirds. Many physical adaptations allow these smallest of avian species to have a greater range of flying abilities than any other birds including the ability to hover, fly upside down, and even fly backwards!

The presentation will be enhanced by Christine’s sketches, photos, and videos of hummingbird species she’s encountered in her travels in Central and South America where hummingbirds reach their greatest diversity. With enchanting names like topaz, sunangel, coquette, and sylph, who wouldn’t be captivated by hummingbirds?

Christine Elder is an avid birdwatcher, traveler, and nature artist from Bend. She’s been lucky to see dozens of the world’s 350+ species of hummingbirds in her travels and will share images and stories of many including Sword-billed Hummingbirds in Ecuador, Streamertails in Jamaica, Shining Sunbeams in Peru, Booted Racket-tails in Peru, and Magnificent Hummingbirds in Arizona to name just a few.

Christine works as a natural science illustrator with a focus on birds and has collaborated with state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, and scientists to create interpretive displays, publications, and books including the Endemic Birds of the West Indies coloring book.

When the pandemic began, Christine pivoted and started teaching wildlife education and sketching classes online and now leads an audience of enthusiastic students from around the world.