Bee hummingbirds, known scientifically as Mellisuga helenae, are the smallest birds in the world. They are native to the island of Cuba and some nearby islands in the Caribbean. Despite their tiny size, bee hummingbirds build intricate nests to lay and incubate their even tinier eggs.
The bee hummingbird is aptly named for its small size – averaging just 5-6 centimeters long and weighing only 1.6-2.4 grams. That’s smaller than a U.S. penny! Their tiny stature makes them highly specialized nectar feeders, relying on flower nectar as their main food source. Bee hummingbirds beat their wings up to 80 times per second, enabling them to hover in place and utilize their long, slender beaks to sip nectar.
Given their diminutive size, you might wonder where these tiny birds build their nests and lay their eggs. Keep reading to learn all about the nesting habits of the remarkable bee hummingbird!
Nesting Locations
Female bee hummingbirds construct cup-shaped nests to house their eggs. They typically build their nests in protected spots with dense surrounding vegetation. Specific nesting locations include:
- On top of branches of shrubs or small trees
- Inside dense clumps of ferns or epiphytes
- Under overhanging roots on stream banks
- Within cavities in trees
- Under the eaves of buildings or cabins
- On wires, clotheslines, or fence posts
The most essential requirements for a nesting spot are protection from predators, shelter from wind and rain, and plant structures to anchor the nest to. Bee hummingbirds often reuse the same nesting sites year after year.
Nest Construction
The female bee hummingbird is solely responsible for building the nest. She constructs the outer shell with bits of bark, moss, lichens, and spider silk, binding the materials together and to the nest anchor with sticky spider webs.
On the interior, she lines the nest with soft plant down collected from vegetation and seeds. This forms a plush, padded nursery for the eggs. The completed nest measures approximately 2.5 centimeters wide and 1.5 centimeters tall – scarcely larger than a walnut!
Constructing the elaborate nest takes 6-9 days of careful work. During the building process, the female bee hummingbird uses spider silk to stitch the nest materials together, catching the silk in her beak and looping it around the nest structure.
Egg Laying and Incubation
Once nest building is complete, the female bee hummingbird lays two pea-sized white eggs in the nest, usually on consecutive days. She incubates the eggs for about 16-19 days. During incubation, she sits on the nest diligently, leaving only briefly to forage for food.
Experts believe the high ambient temperature and humidity of the hummingbird’s tropical habitat helps reduce the incubation period. The female also aids the process by frequently rotating the eggs and maintaining very high body heat while incubating.
Hatching and Raising Young
The bee hummingbird eggs hatch one to two days apart. The tiny hatchlings are almost naked, with just a light gray down covering their pink skin. They measure just over 1 centimeter long but rapidly grow and develop.
For the first 7-10 days after hatching, the female continuously broods the chicks to keep them warm. She also feeds the chicks with regurgitated nectar, providing nutritious food at frequent intervals. This high-energy diet causes the chicks to grow rapidly.
By three weeks old, the young hummingbirds are fully feathered and almost the size of adults. At this point, the female stops brooding them at night. A few days later, the youngsters venture out of the nest for their first short flights.
From the time they hatch to their first flight, the chicks increase their weight almost 20-fold! They continue relying on their mother for food and protection for another 3-4 weeks as they build flight skills and agility.
Threats and Predators
Despite the female bee hummingbird’s attentive nest placement and camouflage, threats still exist. Potential predators of eggs and chicks include snakes, tree frogs, lizards, and birds like parrots. Nest parasites such as botflies may infest nests and harm the developing chicks.
Adult bee hummingbirds face predation from falcons, shrikes, and spiders in their tropical habitat. Their incredibly fast metabolism makes them vulnerable if they miss even a single feeding.
Habitat loss also impacts nesting success. Bee hummingbirds rely on intact forests and densely vegetated stream banks. Destruction of these ecosystems leaves them with fewer safe nesting spots.
Unique Adaptations
Several key adaptations allow such tiny birds to survive and nest successfully:
- Highly maneuverable flight and ability to hover makes them expert aerial foragers.
- Needle-like bill perfectly matches the shape of nectar-producing flowers.
- Extremely high metabolism powers their rapid wing beats and allows incubation of eggs without brooding at night.
- Excellent camouflage provided by iridescent plumage helps hide nests.
- Exceptional eyesight aids in evading predators.
- Low energy requirements of chicks supports rapid growth on small amounts of regurgitated nectar.
These specialized traits enable bee hummingbirds to thrive and continue breeding in their island habitats despite challenges from predators, parasites, and habitat loss.
Research Difficulties
The tiny size of bee hummingbirds makes them difficult to study in the wild. Their nests are very hard to locate, often hidden in dense vegetation. Researchers must take care not to disturb the nests during observations.
New technologies like miniature cameras and GPS trackers are enhancing understanding of bee hummingbird nesting habits. But there is still much to learn about these tiny island jewels.
Conservation Status
Bee hummingbirds are currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Their population appears stable, though some localized declines have occurred. Threats include:
- Habitat degradation from agriculture, logging, and development
- Competition and nest parasitism from introduced species
- Extreme weather events like hurricanes
Protecting key breeding and nesting habitats will be crucial for the long-term survival of bee hummingbirds. Ecotourism focused on respectful birdwatching may help provide incentives for conservation.
Conclusion
The bee hummingbird’s tiny size belies the remarkable effort required to construct a safe nest and successfully breed the world’s smallest birds. Their specialized adaptations allow them to thrive in tropical habitats despite numerous threats. While much remains unknown about their nesting ecology, ongoing research and habitat protection efforts can ensure these diminutive jewels continue dazzling us with their aerial feats for years to come.
