Bird of Today: Bee Hummingbird 9/3/24

This little thing here is the Bee Hummingbird. Measuring just 5.5 - 6.1 cm long and weighing less than a dime, they make for the smallest birds in the world.

Bee Hummingbirds are native and endemic to Cuba, distributed across the entirety of the archipelago. They are often found in areas with thick plant growth, and are known to feed off of and pollinate nine plant species; nine of which are native to Cuba.

In kind to all hummingbird species, the Bee Hummingbird is a swift and powerful flyer- beating its wings 80-200 times per second. Unsurprisingly, this is faster than most other hummingbird species.

Reaching sexual maturity at one year of age, male Bee Hummingbirds court females through sound which is made through the tail feathers.

Bee Hummingbirds are known to live from seven to ten years, in contrast to the average hummingbird lifespan which is five years.

Here is a diagram comparing an adult male Bee Hummingbird to a human hand.