In this extreme condition, there are different desert birds which thrive with many developed adaptations. Hummingbirds evolved to display unique adaptations and anatomy allowing them to survive in several climates. They are easily identified by their small size, vivid coloring, long beaks and rapid wing movement. Desert Birds: A desert is a barren landscape area with a little to no water (no precipitation) is found which makes the living condition extremely hostile for plants and animals.. It weighs three to three and one-half grams, which is about equivalent to the weight of a dime plus a dollar bill. - Adaptations of Australian Animals to Desert Conditions Australian desert animals are exposed to such conditions as scarcity of food, increased body temperature, and dehydration. Life in the wild can be rather "dog eat dog" at times, hence the benefit of survival adaptations. Some desert animals such as desert toads, remain dormant deep in the ground until the summer rains fill ponds. Below is a list of hummingbirds' adaptations and an explanation of how this advancement aids them in their daily life. Even though Sonoran desert scrub is the heart of its range, it is not exclusively a desert species; it leaves the deserts of Arizona and southern California in summer. The Anna's hummingbird is thought to have adapted to the presence of humans because it is now a year-round resident in many areas where it was not in years past. The Costa's Hummingbird is fairly common in the arid brushy deserts and any nearby gardens of the Southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. The restriction of Costa's Hummingbird to the Far West is due probably to a Pacific slope origin and to Sonoran Desert climate, which permits flowering in winter and spring. However, through behavioral, physiological, and anatomical adaptations, they can survive in the harsh outback. Tiny jewels can be found in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, in the form of the Costa’s hummingbird, a species that thrives in a desert habitat. Adaptations. Hummingbirds are only found in the western hemisphere, so they do no appear in any culture’s legends and myths except those of North and South America. Studies of hummingbird metabolism address how a migrating ruby-throated hummingbird can cross 800 km (500 mi) of the Gulf of Mexico on a nonstop flight. Adaptations. In cooler climates they would migrate to warmer places in search of food. Hummingbird ecosystems are important for the entire ecological system because approximately 75 percent of the world’s flowers rely on insects, bats and birds for pollination. From their hooded heads to their strangely shaped feet, chameleons possess a host of physical adaptations which have developed to help them survive. Native mostly to Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa, chameleons are some of the most unique-looking animals on earth. Some arthropods, such as the fairy shrimps and brine shrimps, survive as eggs, hatching in saline ponds and playas during summer or winter rains, and completing their life cycles. How Hummingbird Pollination Occurs Hummingbirds have long beaks and even longer tongues, which allows them to feed at flowers that are too long and thin for anything else. These are diverse, adaptable birds that can be found in a wide range of climatic and ecological zones, and understanding hummingbird habitats can help birders know where to look for these flying jewels in the field as well as plan a better backyard oasis to attract hummingbirds at home. In cooler climates they would migrate to warmer places in search of food. When a hummingbird inserts its beak into a flower to drink the nectar, sticky pollen grains cling to the side of its beak. The male is dull metallic green above and gray below. Harris' hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) are mid-sized raptors that possess a handful of adaptations that assist them in their daily lives, including in their hunting efforts.