Secrets unlocked of the hummingbird's flight

A short video to illustrate National Geographic's recent feature on the remarkable motions of hummingbirds in flight, based on research done by Clark lab at US Riverside, Dudley lab at UC Berkeley, and the Altshuler lab at the University of British Columbia.

The secret to the hummingbird’s hovering ability lies in the near symmetry of its wing motion, which allows it to produce lift during the upstroke as well as the downstroke. By filling the air with a fine mist using an ultrasonic fogger, researchers can observe the tornado-like vortices that this Anna’s hummingbird sheds at the end of each half-stroke—when its wings flip more than 90 degrees and reverse course.