Hummingbirds return

Hummingbirds are native to the Americas, and there are nearly two dozen varieties making their homes in the desert Southwest. The four most common locals, according to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), are the black-chinned, broad-tailed, calliope and rufous. Some weigh less than a penny, but even the largest weighs less than an ounce). Hummingbirds’ wings can beat 50-200 times per second with an average heart rate of about 1,200 beats per minute. They need to take about 250 breaths per minute. In contrast, a typical healthy human at rest takes 12-20 breaths per minute. Proportional to body size, a hummingbird’s heart is five times the size of a human heart. Photographer Monica V. Guidi is an avid hiker and owner of Life in Balance Pilates Studio, 300 N. Main St. in downtown Las Cruces. Visit www.lifeinbalancepilates.net/about_us.