what birds can fly backwards

The only bird species that can fly backwards is the hummingbird. This is due to their unique wing structure and muscles that allow them to move their wings in a figure-eight movement, which enables them to hover in one spot and fly backwards. Other birds, such as herons, egrets, flycatchers, and warblers, can flutter backwards for a short distance as a defensive strategy, and some birds, such as cuckoos, may appear to be flying backwards when they are flying against a strong wind, but relative to the air, they are moving forwards.