Energy-Saving Strategy Helps Hummingbirds Fuel Their Long Migrations

Ruby-throated hummingbirds use the same energy-conserving strategy to survive overnight fasts and build the fat stores they need to fuel long migrations, shows a study published online on December 6, 2021 in eLife. The article is titled “Reversal of the Adipostat Control of Torpor During Migration in Hummingbirds.” The findings help prove a long-held suspicion among scientists who study hummingbirds. The findings also provide new insights on the rules the birds use to determine whether to conserve energy or stockpile fat.