Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward.

It’s not uncommon for a flying seagull to be thrust backward by strong ocean winds. But there’s only one bird species that’s able to intentionally fly backwards: hummingbirds. While most feathery fliers can only flap their wings up and down to glide forward, hummingbirds have flexible shoulder joints that allow their wings to move in a figure-eight shape. This gives them an inherent physical ability for multidirectional flight, whether forward and backward, up and down, or any other direction they so choose.

In addition to their flexibility, hummingbirds have incredibly powerful flight muscles that make up 25% to 30% of their bodyweight — roughly double that of other birds. Their wings can also flap as many as 5,400 times per minute, sending some hummingbirds through the skies at speeds of nearly 30 miles an hour in normal direct flight.