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 29 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bee_Hummingbird
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
