Unique to the Americas, the 300 or so species of hummingbird range in their habitats from the snow line of the Andes down to the lowland rainforest and coastal mangrove swamps. The long-tailed hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus), shown here visiting a Heliconia flower, is just 15 centimetres in length and can consume amounts of nectar equivalent to its own body weight. The World of the Hummingbird by Robert Burton (Firefly, $40, £27.95) tracks the natural history and lifestyle of the diverse species of these “flying jewels”, with their unique flight mechanism.