(Add External Link) |
(→External Links: Multiple GSearches combined) |
||
| (8 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | [[Image:Bee_Hummingbird.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|rb_stern|Richard Stern}}<br />Photo taken at Maria la Gorda, Pinar del Rio Pro., [[Cuba]], February 2009<br />Click on photo for larger image]] | ||
;[[: Category:Mellisuga|Mellisuga]] helenae | ;[[: Category:Mellisuga|Mellisuga]] helenae | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | At 5cm, the Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world | + | At 5cm, the Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world<br /> |
| − | + | '''Male''' | |
| − | '''Male''' | + | *Green crown |
| − | + | *Red throat | |
| − | ''' Female''' | + | *Iridescent gorget, with elongated lateral plumes |
| + | *Bluish upper-parts | ||
| + | *Greyish white underparts | ||
| + | *Slender pointed bill<br /> | ||
| + | Breeding males have red-pink head, chin and throat<br /> | ||
| + | Non breeding males have blue spots to their wingtips<br /> | ||
| + | [[Image:Bee Hummingbird Feb 12 26.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|dragnil|dragnil}}<br />Zapata, [[Cuba]], February 2012]] | ||
| + | ''' Female''' | ||
| + | *Green above | ||
| + | *Pale grey below | ||
| + | *White tips to the outer tail feathers<brc/> | ||
| + | While more apt to be mistaken for a bee than a bird because of the size, the bird is not a mimic. | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | The Bee Hummingbird is endemic to [[Cuba]] | + | The Bee Hummingbird is endemic to [[Cuba]] and Isle of Pines |
| − | |||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | + | This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species; no subspecies are known.<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | |
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Woodland, shrubbery, and gardens. | Woodland, shrubbery, and gardens. | ||
| − | |||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | + | ====Diet==== | |
| − | + | [[Image:Mellisuga helenae eclypse.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Eclipse plumage<br />Photo by {{user|opfister|opfister}}<br />[[Zapata National Park]], [[Cuba]], November 2004 ]] | |
| − | The female builds a cupshaped nest from cobwebs, bark,and lichen, lined with soft plant fibres. 2 bright orange with pink spots | + | Nectar is an important part of the diet. Bee hummingbird seems to be a nectar generalist, one that uses flowers also utilized by bees and other insects as well as the [[Cuban Emerald]]. |
| − | + | ====Breeding==== | |
| − | + | The female builds a cupshaped nest from cobwebs, bark,and lichen, lined with soft plant fibres. The 2 bright orange eggs with pink spots are incubated by the female, who also raises the young. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}#Wikipedia | ||
| + | #Arthur Grosset | ||
| + | #Dalsgaard et al. 2012. Ornithologia Neotropical 23:143-149 | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
*[http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/beehummingbird.html Arthur Grosset's Birds] | *[http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/beehummingbird.html Arthur Grosset's Birds] | ||
| − | {{GSearch|Mellisuga | + | <br /> |
| + | {{GSearch|"Mellisuga helenae" {{!}} "Bee Hummingbird"}} | ||
| + | {{GS-checked}} | ||
| + | <br /> | ||
| + | <br /> | ||
| − | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Mellisuga | + | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Mellisuga]] |
Latest revision as of 22:52, 12 December 2022
Photo by Richard Stern
Photo taken at Maria la Gorda, Pinar del Rio Pro., Cuba, February 2009
Click on photo for larger image
Photo taken at Maria la Gorda, Pinar del Rio Pro., Cuba, February 2009
Click on photo for larger image
- Mellisuga helenae
Identification
At 5cm, the Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world
Male
- Green crown
- Red throat
- Iridescent gorget, with elongated lateral plumes
- Bluish upper-parts
- Greyish white underparts
- Slender pointed bill
Breeding males have red-pink head, chin and throat
Non breeding males have blue spots to their wingtips
Female
- Green above
- Pale grey below
- White tips to the outer tail feathers<brc/>
While more apt to be mistaken for a bee than a bird because of the size, the bird is not a mimic.
Distribution
The Bee Hummingbird is endemic to Cuba and Isle of Pines
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species; no subspecies are known.[1]
Habitat
Woodland, shrubbery, and gardens.
Behaviour
Diet
Nectar is an important part of the diet. Bee hummingbird seems to be a nectar generalist, one that uses flowers also utilized by bees and other insects as well as the Cuban Emerald.
Breeding
The female builds a cupshaped nest from cobwebs, bark,and lichen, lined with soft plant fibres. The 2 bright orange eggs with pink spots are incubated by the female, who also raises the young.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Wikipedia
- Arthur Grosset
- Dalsgaard et al. 2012. Ornithologia Neotropical 23:143-149
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Bee Hummingbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 10 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bee_Hummingbird
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
