Bee Hummingbird
(Mellisuga Helenae)
Bee Hummingbird, the smallest hummingbird in the world that can only be found in Cuba.
BILL: black, slender and pointed.
SIZE: small, females are around 2.4 inches in length, males 2.2 inches, wingspan is around 1.5 inches.
WEIGHT: females weigh 2.6 grams, males weigh 1.95 grams.
COLOR: green, black, white, gray, bluish-green, red-pink, iridescent.
NECTAR from many flowering plants, and sugar-water mixtures in hummingbird feeders.
INSECTS small insects, and spiders.
FORESTS: coastal forests and forest edges, inland forest, swampland, mountain valleys, and gardens.
NEST: a cup-shaped structure made of dry plant fibers, the inner cup is lined with plant down, the exterior is decorated with lichens. Built on a thin twig, about 3-5 meters above the ground, partly hidden by overhanging vegetation or leaves.
EGGS: 2 pea-sized white eggs.
INCUBATION: 21-22 days, female only.
HOVERING while feeding, mostly at horizontal flowers., acts as a pollinator. They are polygynous. Performs aerial displays and intimidation displays in territory defense, makes a peculiar buzzy noise, similar to a bumblebee.
Cuban Archipelago and on Isle of Pines (Isle of Youth).
Bee hummingbirds are the smallest and lightest birds in the world, often mistaken for a honey bee. One of the fastest in the animal kingdom, their heart rates can reach 1,260 beats per minute.