The bee hummingbird, known scientifically as Mellisuga helenae, is the smallest bird in the world. Native to the island of Cuba, this tiny bird faces threats from a variety of predators looking for an easy meal.
Size and Description
The bee hummingbird averages just 5-6 centimeters (2-2.5 inches) in length, with females generally being slightly larger than males. They weigh only about 2 grams on average, or about the weight of a penny. Their minuscule size makes them vulnerable to predation from a wide range of species.
Despite its diminutive stature, the bee hummingbird is dazzling in appearance. The male’s brightly colored plumage features an iridescent throat patch that shimmers in hues of blue, green, gold, and red. This allows him to attract mates. The female is primarily green and white in color. Like all hummingbirds, the bee hummingbird can hover in midair and fly backwards and upside down with great agility. Its rapid wingbeats enable it to reach top speeds of around 25 body lengths per second.
Habitat
Bee hummingbirds are found across Cuba, inhabiting forests, woodlands, gardens, and plantations. They thrive in areas with plenty of flowering plants and sources of nectar. Their tiny size allows them to take advantage of small spaces and crevices among vegetation that larger birds cannot access.
Despite living on an island, bee hummingbirds face predatory threats from both native and introduced species in their Cuban habitat. Let’s take a look at some of the top predators of these tiny birds.
Birds of Prey
Birds of prey are a major threat to hummingbirds of all sizes due to their keen hunting abilities. In Cuba, bee hummingbirds must watch the skies for birds like:
- Falcons – The American kestrel and merlin are small falcons native to Cuba that prey on tiny birds.
- Hawks – Sharp-shinned hawks and broad-winged hawks migrate through Cuba on their way between North American breeding grounds and South American wintering grounds. They opportunistically hunt hummingbirds along the way.
- Owls – The eastern screech owl and burrowing owl are found across Cuba and capture hummingbirds at night.
Birds of prey use their sharp talons and curved beaks to swiftly dispatch hummingbird prey. The element of surprise is key, as hummingbirds can be difficult to capture in straight aerial pursuits. Even still, their maneuverability is limited by their need to protect an impaled victim in their talons once caught.
Other Birds
Gulls, terns, herons, and kingfishers will readily eat small hummingbirds like the bee hummingbird. On Cuba, species like the Cuban emerald hummingbird may sometimes chase smaller hummingbirds away from food sources. Larger Cuban trogons and tody motmots are much less agile in flight but may catch unattentive hummingbirds perching.
Mammals
A number of mammal species native to Cuba will prey on the bee hummingbird. These include:
- Bats – Cuban species of insect-eating bats will opportunistically grab hummingbirds at night.
- Rodents – Rats, mice, and hutias found across Cuba will take eggs and chicks from hummingbird nests.
- Mongoose – The small Asian mongoose was introduced to Cuba and is an opportunistic predator of small birds.
- Monkeys – Vervet monkeys are an invasive species in Cuba known to catch and eat hummingbirds.
The element of surprise allows these quick, agile mammals to seize hummingbirds despite the birds’ speedy flying ability.
Reptiles
A surprising predator of hummingbirds is reptiles such as snakes. On Cuba, bee hummingbirds must watch out for:
- Cuban boa – Cuba’s largest native snake can strike at hummingbirds.
- Racer snake – This colubrid species native to Cuba is a swift climber and can raid nests.
- Anole lizards – Though not typically able to catch hummingbirds in flight, these common Cuban lizards may ambush individuals when perching or visiting flowers.
Snakes in particular rely on stealth and patience, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Insects
Surprisingly, even some insects will opportunistically prey on hummingbirds. On Cuba, bee hummingbirds have been observed falling prey to:
- Praying mantises – These ambush predators sometimes capture small hummingbirds attracted to the same flowers.
- Giant centipedes – The Cuban giant centipede can snare hummingbirds visiting low flowers and vegetation.
The threats posed by small predators like insects and lizards tend to be greater against hummingbird eggs and chicks left unattended in nests. But adult hummingbirds visiting flowers can fall prey if they grow careless around camouflaged ambush hunters.
Other Threats
In addition to intentional predation, other accidental and natural threats pose a danger to bee hummingbirds in Cuba:
- Collisions – Hummingbirds can easily be injured or killed flying into windows, cars, power lines and other human structures.
- Extreme weather – Hurricanes and tropical storms can destroy nests and habitat.
- Parasites and disease – Hummingbirds can suffer from mites, lice and bacterial or viral infections that may compromise their health and survival chances.
Though resilient and well adapted to their environment, Cuba’s smallest birds face many threats from predators and other dangers. Conservation of protected habitat can help provide refuge and minimize risks.
Unique Adaptations Against Predation
To help defend against predators, bee hummingbirds have evolved some remarkable abilities:
- Speed – Their rapid flight helps them escape larger pursuing predators.
- Maneuverability – Their precision hovering, flying backwards/upside down lets them evade attacks.
- Camouflage – Females blend in among leaves while on nests to hide from predators.
- Low nests – Their tiny cup nests are often hidden low in dense vegetation away from predators.
- mobbing predators -Groups of bee hummingbirds will gather and dive bomb much larger hawks or owls.
These adaptations allow the bee hummingbird to thrive despite the many threats they face across their Cuban range. Their populations remain stable, a positive sign for the world’s smallest bird.
Predation in Perspective
Despite the many predatory threats faced by bee hummingbirds, some key factors limit the actual impacts of predation on their populations:
- Abundant breeding and foraging habitat provides safety in numbers.
- High reproductive rates compensate for any losses; 2-3 broods of 2 eggs each per year.
- Most predators rely on opportunism and have diverse diets beyond just hummingbirds.
- Stooping speed makes them difficult prey to catch and handle.
- Nests are well hidden in dense vegetation away from most predators.
So while a wide variety of species may opportunistically prey on bee hummingbirds, their populations remain resilient and secure across Cuba. This tiny species has carved out a sustainable niche among both native and introduced predators.
Conclusion
Despite being the world’s smallest bird, the bee hummingbird faces many predatory threats across its native range in Cuba. Birds of prey including falcons, hawks and owls pose a substantial danger from the air. Other bird species, along with mammals like bats and rodents, also opportunistically prey on these tiny hummingbirds. Surprisingly, even reptiles and insects sometimes successfully ambush bee hummingbirds. Their diminutive size makes them vulnerable to predation, yet they persist and thrive due to evolutionary adaptations like speed and maneuverability. While predatory threats exist, abundant habitat and high reproduction rates keep bee hummingbird populations stable across the island of Cuba. Conservation efforts aimed at protecting native vegetation can further reduce risks to this diminutive species.
