Bumblebee Hummingbird

(Atthis Heloisa)

Bumblebee Hummingbird is the second-smallest bird in
the world which is found in Mexico and the United States.

BILL: short and straight black bill.

SIZE: second smallest bird in the world, it averages 2.75 inches in length with a wingspan of 4 inches, pointed wings.

WEIGHT: 3 grams.

COLOR: green, white, black, rufous, violet-red, iridescent.

MONTANE FORESTS: found at wooded areas in subtropical and tropical montane forests, pine and pine-oak woodland and clearings.

NECTAR from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs and epiphytes, and feeders.

INSECTS small spiders and insects.

Resident in the highlands of Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Occurs in both major cordilleras of Mexico, Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental.

NEST: a cup-shaped nest of lichen, spider webs, plant down, bark fiber, and the outside of the nest is typically covered with moss, it is 3-20 feet above the ground in the limb of a conifer.

EGGS: 2 pea-sized white eggs.

INCUBATION: 15-16 days, female only.

FLEDGLING PHASE: 18-22 days.

HOVERING in a horizontal position with tail cocked while feeding, much less aggressive than other hummingbird species and males sing a variety of high thin warbles to attract the females.