Bee Hummingbird

Physical Characteristics

Plumage:
The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the smallest bird in the world, and despite its tiny size, it is dazzlingly colorful.

• Male: During breeding season, males display an iridescent reddish-pink to fiery crimson head, throat, and upper chest, with metallic blue upperparts and pale grayish-white underparts. Their dazzling gorget can glow intensely in sunlight.

• Female: More subdued, with green upperparts, whitish underparts, and no bright throat patch. Females also show white-tipped tail feathers.

Head:
The male’s glittering red-pink gorget and crown are distinctive. The bill is short, slender, and slightly curved, perfectly adapted for sipping nectar from tiny flowers.

Body:
Extremely compact and lightweight, with a metallic sheen on the back and crown. Females are slightly larger than males—a rare reversal compared to many birds.

Size:

• Length: 2.0–2.4 in (5–6 cm)

• Wingspan: About 3.0 in (7.6 cm)

• Weight: 0.07 oz (1.6–2.0 g)

Feet & Tail:
Their feet are so tiny they are used only for perching, not walking. The tail is relatively short, with males having slightly forked tails and females showing white-tipped outer feathers.

Flight Style:
Bee Hummingbirds beat their wings an astonishing 80 times per second, creating a blur and a faint buzzing sound like a bee (hence the name). They can hover precisely, fly backward, and maneuver with extreme agility.

The Bee Hummingbird’s minute size, iridescent plumage, and rapid wingbeats make it a living jewel and the most extraordinary example of avian miniaturization.

Reproduction

Breeding Season:
Bee Hummingbirds breed during the wet season in Cuba, from March through June, when flowers and insects are most abundant.

Courtship:

• Males perform spectacular aerial displays, flying in loops and producing a high-pitched buzz with their wings.

• They also flash their brilliant pink-red gorget to attract females.

• Males do not participate in nesting or chick-rearing; their role ends after mating.

Nesting:

• The female alone builds the nest, usually on a slender branch or in a shrub, often near water.

• The nest is thimble-sized (about 1 in / 2.5 cm across), constructed from plant down, moss, and spider silk for elasticity.

• Camouflage is added with lichens or bark flakes.

Eggs:

• A clutch consists of two eggs, each the size of a coffee bean (about 0.25 in / 6 mm).

Incubation:

• Lasts about 14 to 16 days.

• Only the female incubates the eggs.

Chick Development:

• Hatchlings are blind, naked, and helpless (altricial).

• The female feeds them regurgitated nectar and small insects for protein.

• Fledging occurs at about 18 to 22 days, but young may remain dependent for another week or two.

Maturity:

• Juveniles quickly develop foraging skills.

• Sexual maturity is reached at 1 year of age, when they are capable of breeding.

The Bee Hummingbird’s reproduction is remarkable for its tiny nest, minuscule eggs, and total female responsibility, making it one of the most delicate and specialized breeding strategies among birds.

Lifespan

In the Wild:
Bee Hummingbirds typically live 5 to 7 years in their native Cuban habitats. As with most hummingbirds, the first year is the most dangerous due to predation and environmental challenges.

In Captivity:
While not commonly kept outside of conservation or rehabilitation settings, individuals can sometimes live a bit longer, occasionally reaching 9 to 10 years with consistent care and protection.

Record Lifespan:
The oldest recorded Bee Hummingbird in the wild lived just over 7 years, confirmed through banding studies.

Threats to Longevity:

• Predation: Vulnerable to larger birds, reptiles, spiders, and domestic cats.

• Habitat Loss: Restricted to Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud, their survival is threatened by deforestation and habitat conversion.

• Competition: Competes with other hummingbirds and insects for nectar sources.

• Climate Change: Altered flowering patterns and reduced food availability pose growing risks.

Despite its tiny size, the Bee Hummingbird is resilient, surviving in a limited range for several years, provided food and nesting sites remain available.

Eating Habits

Diet:
The Bee Hummingbird feeds primarily on nectar, but supplements with insects for protein. Its diet includes:

• Nectar: Drawn from over 10 different plant families, with a preference for tubular flowers such as firebush, morning glories, and lantana.

• Insects & Spiders: Tiny flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and spiderlings provide essential protein, especially for growing chicks.

• Pollen: Accidentally consumed with nectar and sometimes digested for nutrients.

Foraging Behavior:

• Feeds 10–15 times per hour, visiting up to 1,500 flowers per day.

• Uses a long, extendable tongue with brush-like tips to lap up nectar at high speed (up to 13 licks per second).

• Also gleans insects from foliage and spider webs, or catches them midair.

• Plays a major role in pollination, transferring pollen between flowers as it feeds.

Feeding Adaptations:

• Fast metabolism requires near-constant feeding; they must eat roughly half their body weight in food each day.

• Hovering flight and rapid wingbeats (~80 per second) allow precise positioning at flowers.

• Enters nightly torpor to conserve energy when food is unavailable, lowering heart rate and metabolism drastically.

Role in Ecosystem:
The Bee Hummingbird is a crucial pollinator in Cuban ecosystems, ensuring the reproduction of native plants and influencing flowering cycles.

The Bee Hummingbird’s extreme metabolism, flower specialization, and high foraging rate make it one of the most remarkable feeders in the bird world.

Uniqueness

Smallest Bird in the World:
The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) holds the record as the world’s smallest bird, measuring just 2–2.4 in (5–6 cm) long and weighing less than a dime (1.6–2 g).

Dazzling Iridescence:
Males in breeding season glow with a brilliant reddish-pink gorget and crown, making them look like flying jewels despite their minute size.

Insect-Like Flight:
With wings beating up to 80 times per second, their rapid buzzing resembles that of a bee, which inspired their name. They can hover, fly backward, and dart with unmatched agility.

Extreme Metabolism:
Their high-energy lifestyle requires them to consume half their body weight in food daily and visit over 1,000 flowers per day. To survive nights, they enter torpor, lowering metabolism dramatically.

Tiny Nests and Eggs:
Females build thimble-sized nests (about 1 in / 2.5 cm across) and lay the smallest bird eggs in the world, each the size of a coffee bean.

Restricted Range:
Endemic to Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud, they are a national treasure and a symbol of the island’s biodiversity.

The Bee Hummingbird’s combination of tiny size, jewel-like plumage, extreme metabolism, and ecological role as a pollinator makes it one of the most unique and extraordinary birds on Earth.