Hovering is the ability exhibited by some winged animals to remain relatively stationary in midair. Usually this involves rapid downward thrusts of the

wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is exp ...

to generate upward

lift Lift or LIFT may refer to: Physical devices * Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods ** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop ** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobile ...

. Sometimes hovering is maintained by

flapping Flapping or tapping, also known as alveolar flapping, intervocalic flapping, or ''t''-voicing, is a phonological process found in many varieties of English, especially North American, Cardiff, Ulster, Australian and New Zealand English, whereb ...

soaring Soaring may refer to: * Gliding, in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes * Lift (soaring), a meteorological phenomenon used as an energy source by some aircraft and birds * ''Soaring'' (magazine), a magazine produced ...

into a

headwind A tailwind is a wind that blows in the direction of travel of an object, while a headwind blows against the direction of travel. A tailwind increases the object's speed and reduces the time required to reach its destination, while a headwind has ...

; this form of hovering is called "wind hovering", "windhovering", or "kiting".

True hoverers

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are ...

hover over

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

to obtain nectar, flapping their

at up to 70 beats per second. Archilochus colubris-male hovering.jpg,

Ruby-throated hummingbird The ruby-throated hummingbird (''Archilochus colubris'') is a species of hummingbird that generally spends the winter in Central America, Mexico, and Florida, and migrates to Canada and other parts of Eastern North America for the summer to bree ...

Calypte costae-male hovering nectaring.jpg,

Costa's hummingbird Costa's hummingbird (''Calypte costae'') is a bird species in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It breeds in the arid region of the southwest United States and northwest Mexico; it winters in western Mexico. Taxonomy Costa's hummingbird was ...

Sword-billed hummingbird (male) at Guango Lodge, Ecuador (21310837273).jpg,

Sword-billed hummingbird The sword-billed hummingbird (''Ensifera ensifera''), also known as the swordbill, is a neotropical species of hummingbird from the Andean regions of South America. It is the only member in the genus ''Ensifera.'' Among the largest species of ...

Bats

Like hummingbirds,

fruit bats In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particula ...

and nectar bats hover over flowers while feeding on

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particul ...

or nectar. Comparison between bats and hummingbirds has revealed that these animals exert similar amounts of energy relative to body weight during hovering: hummingbirds can twist their wings more easily and are more aerodynamic, but bats have bigger wings and larger strokes. Choeronycteris mexicana, Mexican long-tongued bat (7371567444) 2.jpg,

Mexican long-tongued bat The Mexican long-tongued bat (''Choeronycteris mexicana'') is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is the only species within the genus ''Choeronycteris''. The species is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and th ...

Lonchophylla robusta (on feeder).jpg,

Orange nectar bat The orange nectar bat (''Lonchophylla robusta'') is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. Orange nectar bats in Costa Rica were observed utilisin ...

Kingfishers

Small

Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania ...

s such as

Belted kingfisher The belted kingfisher (''Megaceryle alcyon'') is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests that this should be divided into three ...

may hover over water before diving in to catch fish. Larger species such as

Ringed kingfisher The ringed kingfisher (''Megaceryle torquata'') is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher bird commonly found along the lower Rio Grande valley in southeasternmost Texas in the United States through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in South ...

are too heavy to hover for more than a few seconds. Megaceryle alcyon-male hovering.jpg,

Pied Kingfisher in hovering in Flight.jpg,

Pied kingfisher The pied kingfisher (''Ceryle rudis'') is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies. Its black and white plumage and crest, as well a ...

Moths

Sphinx moths

Some sphinx moths (family

Sphingidae The Sphingidae are a family of moths ( Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, ...

) are known as hummingbird moths for their ability to hover over flowers while nectaring. Moths are relatively heavy insects and sometimes hang on to the flower with their forelegs as they hover. Hemaris thysbe-hovering nectaring.jpg, Hummingbird clearwing Macroglossum stellatarum-hovering nectaring.jpg,

Hummingbird hawk-moth The hummingbird hawk-moth (''Macroglossum stellatarum'') is a species of hawk moth found across temperate regions of Eurasia. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their ...

Broad-bordered bee hawk-moth patuxent research refuge 7.9.21 DSC 1713.jpg, Broad-bordered bee hawk-moth

Clearwing moths

Some clearwing moths (family

Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of various Hymenoptera. The family consists of 165 genus, genera ...

) also hover while nectaring or even

puddling A puddle is a small accumulation of liquid on a surface. Puddle or Puddles may also refer to: * Puddle, Cornwall, hamlet in England * ''Puddle'' (video game) * Puddle (M. C. Escher), a woodcut by M. C. Escher * Weld puddle, a crucial part of the ...

. Females may also hover to inspect

ovipositing The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typicall ...

sites. Chamaesphecia bibioniformis-male hovering.jpg, ''

Chamaesphecia bibioniformis ''Chamaesphecia bibioniformis'' is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It is found in southern Europe (from Spain to southern Russia) and from Asia Minor to Kyrgyzstan. The wingspan is 19–21 mm. Adults are on wing in June and July. The larvae ...

'' Eichlinia calabaza-hovering.jpg, Southwestern squash vine borer Eichlinia cucurbitae-hovering dorsal.jpg,

Squash vine borer The squash vine borer (''Melittia cucurbitae'') is a diurnal species of sesiid moth. The moth is often mistaken for a bee or wasp because of its movements, and the bright orange hind leg scales. The females typically lay their eggs at the base ...

Hoverflies

Hoverflies Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, whi ...

are

flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwing ...

that often hover over the plants they visit. This hovering behaviour is unlike that of

hummingbirds Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are ...

since they do not feed in midair. Hovering in general may be a means of finding a food source; in addition, male hovering is often a territorial display seeking females, while female hovering serves to inspect

sites. , Eupeodes_fumipennis-female_hovering.jpg, Western aphideater Eupeodes_volucris-female_hovering.jpg, Large-tailed aphideater Helophilus_fasciatus-female_hovering.jpg, Narrow-headed marsh fly Syritta_pipiens-male_hovering.jpg, Thick-legged hoverfly

Bee flies

Bee flies The Bombyliidae are a family of flies, commonly known as bee flies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae are mostly parasitoids of other insects. Overview The Bombyliidae are a large family of ...

are

parasitoids In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasitis ...

that can dart about in the air with great agility. Males hover as a

courtship display A courtship display is a set of display behaviors in which an animal, usually a male, attempts to attract a mate; the mate exercises choice, so sexual selection acts on the display. These behaviors often include ritualized movement ("dances"), v ...

, while females hover over ovipositing sites - usually the entrance of a host insect nest - and shoot eggs into the nest using an ejecting movement of their

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the tors ...

. Species that have a long

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elonga ...

can hover over flowers while feeding, much as hummingbirds do, though these flies may touch the flower with their legs for balance while hovering. Bombylius egg ejection 290310 1504.gif, ''

Bombylius ''Bombylius'' is a large genus of flies belonging to the family Bombyliidae. They are known as the bee-flies, due to their striking resemblance to bees and bumblebees, and are distributed worldwide. One species of the genus, '' Bombylius major'', ...

'' egg ejection Bombylius major-hovering.jpg, Large bee-fly Bombylius canescens-male hovering.jpg, Western bee-fly Bombylella atra-hovering.jpg, '' Bombylella atra'' Heterostylum robustum-hovering.jpg, Bomber fly

Odonata

Odonata is an

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

that includes

dragonflies A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threaten ...

and

damselflies Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along ...

. They are strong aviators renowned for their acrobatic flights, including the ability to hover, usually for a short pause during their ceaseless territorial patrols.

Dragonflies

In addition to short hovers while cruising, female dragonflies may hover over the water before or during oviposition, males may also hover-guard their mate at this time. Aeshna juncea hovering.jpg, Sedge darner male Anax junius-hovering.jpg,

Green darner The green darner or common green darner (''Anax junius''), after its resemblance to a darning needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America, it also ranges south ...

male Plathemis lydia-female hovering.jpg,

Common whitetail The common whitetail or long-tailed skimmer (''Plathemis lydia'') is a common dragonfly across much of North America, with a striking and unusual appearance. The male's chunky white body (about 5 cm or 2 inches long), combined with the brow ...

female Tramea lacerata-flying tandem separated.jpg,

Black saddlebags The black saddlebags (''Tramea lacerata'') is a species of skimmer dragonfly found throughout North America. It has distinctive wings with characteristic black blotches at their proximal ends, which make the dragonfly look as though it is wearin ...

pair hovering over oviposition site Tramea lacerata-guarded ovipositing.jpg,

male hover-guarding his mate Pachydiplax longipennis-female ovipositing.webm,

Blue dasher The blue dasher (''Pachydiplax longipennis'') is a dragonfly of the skimmer family. It is the only species in the genus ''Pachydiplax''. It is very common and widely distributed through North America and into the Bahamas. Although the species na ...

Plathemis lydia-ovipositing.webm,

Damselflies

Some male damselflies hover in front of females or over the oviposition site during courtship; sometimes females also hover in response. After mating, males may hover-guard their mate by either circling over her or by hovering while attached to her in

tandem Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...

. Males hover-guarding in tandem do not need wings at all to remain suspended in the air; they are held aloft by

clasping A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

their mate with their

, and can maintain their position even when the

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may no ...

and

thorax The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the ...

are removed by predators. Calopteryx maculata-male hovering.jpg,

Ebony jewelwing The ebony jewelwing (''Calopteryx maculata'') is a species of broad-winged damselfly. One of about 150 species of Calopterygidae, it is found in the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, ranging west to the Great Plains. Other common names inc ...

male hover-patrolling Argia moesta-male hovering.jpg, Powdered dancer male hover-patrolling Argia moesta-ovipositing.jpg, Powdered dancer males hover-guarding Argia moesta-truncated tandem.jpg, Powdered dancer male posthumous hover-guarding

Hymenoptera

Bees

Many

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamil ...

species, such as

bumblebees A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...

, hover momentarily as they approach flowers to feed. Males of some species, including

carpenter bees Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant m ...

and carder bees, also hover while patrolling their territories. Bombus fervidus-hovering.jpg, Golden northern bumble bee Xylocopa nasalis-hovering.jpg, Oriental carpenter bee Anthidium manicatum-male hovering.jpg,

European wool carder bee ''Anthidium manicatum'', commonly called the European wool carder bee is a species of bee in the family Megachilidae, the leaf-cutter bees or mason bees. They get the name " carder" from their behaviour of scraping hair from leaves such as lamb' ...

Wasps

Among the social

wasps A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

Stenogastrinae The Stenogastrinae are a subfamily of social wasps included in the family Vespidae. They are sometimes called hover wasps owing to the particular hovering flight of some species. Their morphology and biology present interesting peculiarities. S ...

are known as hover wasps due to their distinctive hovering flight. Males often hover to display banding patterns on their abdomen as a territorial display. Among the solitary wasps, parasitoid species such as scoliid wasps exhibit hovering behaviour while hunting for prey to feed their larvae. Males of some parasitoids may hover briefly while they patrol their territories, seeking females and chasing away rivals. Sphecius speciosus-male hovering.jpg,

Eastern cicada killer ''Sphecius speciosus'', often simply referred to as the cicada killer or the cicada hawk, is a large, solitary digger wasp species in the family Crabronidae. The name may be applied to any species of crabronid that preys on cicadas, though in N ...

hover patrol

Wind hoverers

Raptors

Many

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predato ...

such as

kestrels The term kestrel (from french: crécerelle, derivative from , i.e. ratchet) is the common name given to several species of predatory birds from the falcon genus ''Falco''. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour ...

, harriers, and members of the

Buteo ''Buteo'' is a genus of medium to fairly large, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings. In the Old World, members of this genus are called "buzzards", but "hawk" is used in the New World (Etymology: ''Buteo'' is the Latin name o ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

can "windhover" by facing the wind. Elanine

kites A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create lift and drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have a bridle and tail to guide the face ...

also engage in "windhovering"; this behaviour is also called "kiting" due the

common names In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

of this genus. Common kestrel hovering.jpg,

Common kestrel The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, where no ...

Falco cenchroides 2.jpg,

Nankeen kestrel The nankeen kestrel (''Falco cenchroides''), also known as the Australian kestrel, is a raptor native to Australia and New Guinea. It is one of the smallest falcons, and unlike many, does not rely on speed to catch its prey. Instead, it simply pe ...

Northern Harrier - 51872832791.jpg,

Northern harrier The northern harrier (''Circus hudsonius''), or ring-tailed hawk, is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA. The northern harrier migrates to more southerly are ...

Black-winged (black-shouldered) kite, Elanus caeruleus, at Marievale, Gauteng, South Africa (45979034625).jpg,

Black-winged kite The black-winged kite (''Elanus caeruleus''), also known as the black-shouldered kite (not to be confused with the closely-related Australian species of the same name), is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for i ...

Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus)4.jpg,

Letter-winged kite The letter-winged kite (''Elanus scriptus'') is a small, rare and irruptive bird of prey that is found only in Australia. Measuring around in length with a wingspan of , the adult letter-winged kite has predominantly pale grey and white plum ...

White-Tailed Kite.JPG,

White-tailed kite The white-tailed kite (''Elanus leucurus'') is a small raptor found in western North America and parts of South America. It replaces the related Old World black-winged kite in its native range. Taxonomy The white-tailed kite was described in ...

Seabirds

Certain

seabirds Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environ ...

can windhover by soaring or flapping into the wind; often this behaviour takes advantage of

thermals A thermal column (or thermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example ...

whipping off a coastal

cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on ...

Tropicbirds Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds. They are the sole living representatives of the order Phaethontiformes. For many years they were considered part of the Pelecaniformes, but genetics indicates they are most cl ...

can even fly backwards against a strong headwind;

Red-tailed tropicbird The red-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon rubricauda'') is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Supe ...

pairs use this ability to circle each other during courtship displays. Smaller seabirds such as

shearwaters Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds in the petrel family Procellariidae. They have a global marine distribution, but are most common in temperate and cold waters, and are pelagic outside the breeding season. Description These t ...

and

storm petrels Storm-petrel may refer to one of two bird families, both in the order Procellariiformes, once treated as the same family. The two families are: *Northern storm petrels (''Hydrobatidae'') are found in the Northern Hemisphere, although some species ...

feed by hovering low over the water surface, flapping with half-open wings and paddling with their feet in a technique called "pattering" or "sea-anchoring". The waves are accompanied by a slight horizontal wind that enables the birds to soar in place while using their feet to steady themselves. Fulmarus glacialis-hovering.jpg,

Northern fulmar The northern fulmar (''Fulmarus glacialis''), fulmar, or Arctic fulmar is a highly abundant seabird found primarily in subarctic regions of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. There has been one confirmed sighting in the Southern Hem ...

Fregata magnificens-female hovering.jpg,

Magnificent frigatebird The magnificent frigatebird (''Fregata magnificens'') is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of and wingspan of it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, bet ...

Phaethon_rubricauda-hovering_flying_backwards.jpg,

flying backwards Phaethon rubricauda-courtship_fly_backwards.jpg,

Red-tailed tropicbirds The red-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon rubricauda'') is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Superfi ...

circling courtship Oceanites oceanicus - SE Tasmania.jpg,

Wilson's storm petrel Wilson's storm petrel (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as Wilson's petrel, is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainl ...

pattering Puffinus gavia-pattering.jpg,

Fluttering shearwater The fluttering shearwater (''Puffinus gavia'') is a species of seabird in the family Procellariidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and migrates to Australia and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are open seas and rocky shores. It has ...

pattering

References

{{reflist Ethology Bird behavior Insect behavior