The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is a species of hummingbird, native to the island of Cuba in the Caribbean. It is the smallest known bird. The bee hummingbird feeds on flower nectar and insects. Compared to other small hummingbirds, which often have a slender appearance, the bee hummingbird looks rounded and plump. It is a diurnal bird that can fly at , and it beats its wings 80–200 times per second, which allows it to remain stationary in the air to feed on flowers. The bee hummingbird lives up to seven years in the wild, and 10 years in captivity. This characterization is based upon the recognition that birds are a living form of theropod dinosaurs (or, strictly speaking, avian dinosaurs), and no smaller bird or non-avian dinosaur has been found in the fossil record. Within their territory a male will often sing atop the highest tree.

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File:Mellisuga helenae Size Comparison.svg|Size of M. helenae compared to a human hand

File:Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) adult male non-breeding.jpg|Adult male, Cuba

File:Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) immature male.jpg|Juvenile male

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Diet

thumb|Bee hummingbird feeding on [[Hamelia patens]]

The bee hummingbird has been reported to visit ten plant species, nine of them native to Cuba.

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! Plant Name

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| Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae)

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| Chrysobalanus icaco (Chrysobalanaceae)

| 100px|Picture of chrysobalanus icaco

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| Pavonia paludicola (Malvaceae)

| 100px|Picture of pavonia paludicola

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| Forsteronia corymbosa (Apocynaceae)

| 100px|Picture of forsteronia corymbosa

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| Lysiloma latisiliquum (Mimosaceae)

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| Turnera ulmifolia (Passifloraceae)

| 100px|Picture of turnera ulmifolia

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| Antigonon leptopus (Polygonaceae)

| 100px|Picture of antigonon leptopus

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| Clerodendrum aculeatum (Verbenaceae)

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| Tournefortia hirsutissima (Boraginaceae)

| 100px|Picture of tournefortia hirsutissima

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| Cissus obovata (Vitaceae)

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They occasionally eat insects and spiders. In a typical day, bee hummingbirds will consume up to half their body weight in food.

Habitat and distribution

The bee hummingbird is endemic to the entire Cuban archipelago, including the main island of Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud in the West Indies. In these regions bee hummingbirds generally live in areas of thick growth that contain lianas and epiphytes. and more commonly in Zapata Swamp (Matanzas Province) and in eastern Cuba, with reference localities in Alexander Humboldt National Park and Baitiquirí Ecological Reserve (Guantánamo Province) and Gibara and Sierra Cristal (Holguín Province).

Breeding

thumb|upright=0.6|Side view of the nest

Bee hummingbirds reach sexual maturity at one year of age.

Using strands of cobwebs, bark, and lichen, female bee hummingbirds build a cup-shaped nest about in diameter and off the ground. The nest is lined with a layer of soft plant wool. Branches in mature, leafy jucaro (Terminalia buceras) and juvenile ocuje (Calophyllum antillanum) trees are commonly used for nest building. After completion of the nest, the eggs are incubated for 21 days by only the female, followed by 2 days of hatching, and 18 days of care by the mother. During days of care the mother will hunt for small insects while chicks are left alone in the nest. Over the final 4–5 days of care, juvenile bee hummingbirds practice their flight capabilities. The nests are used only once.

See also

  • Dinosaur size
  • Smallest organisms

References

  • Bee hummingbird videos, photos, and sounds, Internet Bird Collection
  • Bee hummingbird photo gallery, Vireo