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Ten fun facts about the world's smallest bird: Cuba's 'bee hummingbird'. 'Mellisuga helenae' (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. īirdLife International. 2016. Mellisuga helenae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22688214A93187682. Downloaded on . Get to Know the Bee Hummingbird, the World’s Smallest Bird. Gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons This is made possible by a breath rate of up to 250 breaths per minute.Įkaterina Chernetsova (Papchinskaya) from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsĬharles J. This can reach as much as 1260 beats per minute. Their name comes from the similarity in size of these birds to large bees.ĭue to the large number of beats the hummingbirds wings make a hum from which the name is derived.īee hummingbirds are recorded as having the second fastest heartbeat of any animal. The bee hummingbird is also known as the zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird. Previously hats were created with stuffed hummingbirds on top which were seen as a status symbol. This has been increasing due to the expansion of cattle, cacao, coffee and tobacco farming. They will also perform quick dives.īee hummingbirds are threatened by habitat modification or destruction.

To avoid predation they will use their speed and quick changes in direction. They are also consumed by fish, frogs and spiders. Natural predators of the bee hummingbird include birds such as hawks, falcons, kestrels and orioles. Other sounds such as a squeak or twitter are also created by these birds. Males and females create a vocalization which is high-pitched to communicate with one another. This is defended against other males along with bumblebees and hawk-moths which may take their nectar. Outside of the breeding season the bee hummingbird is almost entirely solitary. By moving the wings in a figure eight shape they can remain stationary in the air.ĭuring periods of cool temperature they will drop their body temperature allowing them to conserve energy. They may move straight up or down, backwards and even upside down. The rotational abilities of the wing mean they have unique skills in flight. In flight they reach speeds of 40-48km/h (25 to 30mph). They may go up to 20 hours in flight without a break. They spend a significant amount of their day flying. During their courtship this may increase as high as 200 times per second. While in flight a bee hummingbird can beat its wings up to 80 times a second. Sexual maturity is reached at 1 year old. It can then be lined with down to help keep eggs warm.įemales will incubate the eggs for 14 to 23 days with fledging taking place after 18 to 38 days. The nest is formed of moss, bark and spider webs. These are deposited in to a nest which is a single inch (2.5cm) wide. The tiny eggs of the bee hummingbird are around the size of a coffee bean and colored white. Females will move between a number of leks to assess the males and choose one to mate with.ĭuring the breeding season males will have brighter coloration around the head, chin and throat.Īfter mating the male will leave the female and has no involvement with raising the young. This breeding season coincides with the flowering period for many of their preferred food sources.Īt the start of the breeding season a group of male bee hummingbirds will form a lek which is a group that will all advertise their songs to attract a mate. Their preferred source of nectar is the Solandra grandiflora.Īs they move between flowers the bee hummingbirds will act as pollinators moving nectar from one flower to another.īee hummingbirds will nest from April to June. Small amounts of insects and spiders are also consumed. While feeding they can visit as many as 1,500 flowers each day.

Nectar is the main component of their diet and their fast metabolism means they will spend up to 15% of their day feeding. When feeding the bee hummingbird will hover in front of a flower. Their long bill and specialized tongue are both designed to allow them to obtain nectar in the most efficient way. They have dark brown eyes and black legs or feet.īee hummingbirds are considered omnivores. Males sport an iridescent red head and throat.Īcross the rest of the body males are iridescent blue or green across their back. Males and females are sexually dimorphic. Protruding from the head is a long, slender bill colored black which can be used to probe deep in to flowers to obtain their food. In the air they are highly agile due to an ability to rotate their wings 180 degrees. These tiny birds have a wingspan of 5.2-6.6cm (1.3-1.5in) across. An average female will weigh 2.65g (0.093oz) while males only reach 1.95g (0.07oz). The bee hummingbird is widely regarded as the world's smallest bird.

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