Birds come in all different shapes and sizes, from the towering ostriches to the tiny hummingbirds. When it comes to the smallest birds in the world, there are two that stand out as the very tiniest: the bee hummingbird and the calliope hummingbird. Both species are in the hummingbird family and weigh just a few grams each. They live in North and South America and have evolved to be remarkably tiny in order to survive and thrive.
In this article, we will explore the key details about the bee hummingbird and calliope hummingbird to understand why they are considered the two smallest birds in the world. We will cover their size, appearance, habitat, diet, and other interesting facts about these tiny avians. Understanding the unique adaptations of these miniature marvels provides insight into the diversity of the natural world.
Key Details about the Bee Hummingbird
The bee hummingbird has the distinction of being the smallest living bird in the world. Here are some of the key details about this tiny bird:
Size
– The bee hummingbird averages just 2 inches (5 cm) in length from the tip of its bill to the end of its tail. Its wingspan is a mere 2.4 inches (6 cm).
– It weighs only about 0.07 ounces (2 grams) on average, similar to a small bee or insect.
– It is the smallest warm-blooded animal on Earth.
Appearance
– The male bee hummingbird has iridescent plumage in shimmering greens and blues. The female is more muted in gray-green and white.
– The slender, pointed bill makes up about half of its body length. This allows it to reach nectar inside flowers.
– As with all hummingbirds, it has very short legs relative to its body. Its feet are about 0.4 inches long.
Habitat
– The bee hummingbird is found exclusively on the island of Cuba.
– It lives in a range of habitats from forests to gardens and scrublands. However, it always stays close to the flowers it feeds on.
Diet
– Bee hummingbirds get most of their nutrition from consuming nectar from flowers, visiting up to 1,500 flowers per day.
– They also eat small insects, which provides them with protein.
– Their fast metabolism requires them to consume half their weight in nectar daily in order to survive.
Other Facts
– They have an extremely fast heartbeat at over 500 beats per minute while resting.
– The wings can flap up to 80 times per second. This allows them to precisely hover in one spot.
– The smallest eggs of any bird belong to the bee hummingbird at about half the size of a coffee bean.
– They are solitary birds that are highly territorial. Males perform elaborate courtship dances to attract mates.
So in summary, the bee hummingbird’s diminutive size, iridescent beauty, and energetic lifestyle make it a one-of-a-kind tiny avian wonder. Next we’ll explore the only bird that comes close to the bee hummingbird’s miniscule proportions.
Key Details about the Calliope Hummingbird
The calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in North America and the second smallest bird in the world after the bee hummingbird. Here are the key details about this pint-sized bird:
Size
– It measures about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and has a 4 inch wingspan.
– Weight ranges from 2.4 – 3.1 g.
Appearance
– Males have vibrant iridescent throats that appear reddish-pink and a dark tail with white tips. Their heads and backs are metallic green.
– Females lack the colorful throat and are more dull brownish-gray overall with white underparts.
Habitat
– Calliope hummingbirds breed in mountainous regions of the western US and Canada.
– Some migrate as far south as Mexico for winter.
– They prefer open meadows and pine forests near flowering plants.
Diet
– Like the bee hummingbird, they eat both nectar and small insects including gnats, flies, and spiders.
– Their long slender bills allow them to retrieve nectar from long tubular flowers.
– They lick nectar up to 13 times per second while feeding!
Other Facts
– To conserve energy overnight, they go into torpor – a minimized metabolic state similar to hibernation.
– Their wings beat up to 80 times per second and heart rate reaches 1,260 beats per minute in flight.
– The genus name “calliope” refers to the beautiful voice of the Greek muse of epic poetry. Similarly, these hummingbirds have a rapid, high-pitched call.
So in summary, the calliope hummingbird is a petite powerhouse that is specially adapted to survive in cold mountainous climates.
Comparing Key Statistics
To visualize the diminutive sizes of the bee hummingbird and calliope hummingbird, here is a table comparing some of their key statistics:
| Measurement | Bee Hummingbird | Calliope Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Length (cm) | 5 | 7.5 |
| Wingspan (cm) | 6 | 10 |
| Weight (g) | 2 | 2.4 – 3.1 |
As you can see, the bee hummingbird is smaller than the calliope hummingbird in all physical dimensions. But both species are remarkably tiny compared to most birds.
Why These Birds Evolved to be so Small
The bee and calliope hummingbirds didn’t end up as the smallest birds in the world purely by chance. Their miniscule size is the result of evolutionary adaptations that allow them to thrive in their environments by minimizing energy needs. Here are some of the advantages of being tiny:
– **Hovering ability** – Their small size and light weight allows them to hover precisely in place while extracting nectar, thanks to fast-beating wings. Larger birds can’t utilize the same flight strategy.
– **Surviving cold** – Lower surface area compared to volume helps the calliope hummingbird retain body heat easier overnight and survive in cold climates.
– **Agility** – Their compact size paired with extreme maneuverability gives them an advantage accessing food sources like nectar deep inside flowers.
– **Fighting ability** – Mid-air fighting is easier without the drag of a large body, allowing males to compete for territories.
– **Camouflage** – Tiny size means they can blend into foliage to avoid predators. Colorful males offset this downside by attracting mates.
So in summary, being super small works to the advantage of hummingbirds by allowing them to exploit certain ecological niches unavailable to larger birds. Evolution selected for these traits over thousands of generations.
Conclusion
The bee hummingbird and calliope hummingbird are incredible examples of extreme miniaturization in the animal kingdom. Weighing as little as 2 grams, they are tiny enough to rest comfortably on a human fingertip. However, despite their tiny stature, these energetic hummingbirds lead fast-paced lifestyles thanks to rapid heartbeats, wings that flutter faster than the human eye can see, and voracious appetites that require them to eat up to half their body weight daily. Being remarkably small allows them to engage in specialized feeding behaviors like hovering in place to lap up flower nectar. Their diminutive size has evolved as an adaptation to minimize energy needs and exploit ecological niches unavailable to bigger birds. So the next time you see a teensy hummingbird buzzing around flowers, take a moment to appreciate the unique magic of the world’s smallest birds. They are living proof of nature’s ingenuity and the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth, from the mighty ostrich to the tiny hummingbird.
