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An American bird under threat
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Hummingbirds belong to the Apodiformes order, due to the particular structure of their wings, within which they form the Trochilinae subfamily that gathers 338 species distributed in about 96 genera. These species are characterized by a marked sexual dimorphism, particularly at the level of the beak, longer and more curved in the female. They occupy an area that extends from northern North America (Alaska, Labrador) to southern South America (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). The tropical regions of the New World, where Martinique is located, have been home to a multitude of species for probably several million years. Very popular as fashion accessories or decorative elements in the 19th century because of their small size and bright colors, hummingbirds are threatened today by deforestation that deprives them of their habitat and their food resources. The process indeed destroys the epiphyte plants from which they consume the nectar of flowers. The areas of large plantations and crops developed by humans using chemical products can also be harmful to hummingbirds. The birds can be affected directly if the nectar they consume has been contaminated with pesticides or indirectly if they feed on insects in a treated area.
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