The Jardin de Balata is a private botanical garden located on the Route de Balata about 10 km outside of Fort-de-France, Martinique, France. One of Martinique’s best attractions is open daily. It is home to a staggering number of begonias, bromeliads, bamboo and about 300 different types of palm trees. Free-flying hummingbirds are often sighted. A suspended rope bridge and walkways provide a birds-eye view of the landscaped grounds below.

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The hummingbird is the smallest bird and also the smallest of all animals that have a backbone. Hummingbirds can beat their wings up to 80 times a second during normal flight and up to 200 times per second during a courtship dive. A hummingbird has a heart rate that can reach up to 1,260 beats per minute. Hummingbird can reach speed to 60 miles per hour during courtship dives, normal straight-line flight speed can be 20 to 30 miles per hour. Hummingbirds are full-grown when they leave the nest. There are more than 300 kinds of hummingbirds. The smallest is the bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae from Cuba. The largest is the giant hummingbird Patagona gigas. A hummingbird can weigh anywhere between 2 and 20 grams. Hummingbirds have an average life span of about 5 years.

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