/ ˈhʌmɪŋbɜːd; NAmE -bɜːrd/ noun
a small brightly coloured bird that lives in warm countries and that can stay in one place in the air by beating its wings very fast, making a continuous low sound (= a humming sound)
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: so named because of the humming sound produced by the rapid vibration of the bird's wings.