Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world, ranging in size from 5.7 cm. to up to 21.6 cm. As the most skilled fliers amongst all bird species, they can fly backward, hover, fly straight up, and quickly change direction. With a high metabolism, they need to feed constantly to survive. Their hearts beat over 1200 times per minute.

Most of the species of hummingbirds can be found in South America. Peru has over 118 out of over 300 worldwide. In Peru, they are also called colibris or Q'inti in Quechua, meaning "Birds of the Sun God." In a Quechua legend, when there was great suffering on Earth from lack of water, and all creatures were dying, a hummingbird arose from the last flor de Cantu, (Peru's state flower) and begged the God Waitapallana for rain. The hummingbird died in the process but not before it accomplished its mission. Two great crystal teardrops fell from Waitapallana's eyes when he saw the devastation on Earth. These tears awoke the serpent, Amaru, and who, upon shaking his great wings, brought rain back to the Earth.