Bee Hummingbird Mellisuga helenae Scientific name definitions

Renowned among birdwatchers everywhere as the world’s smallest bird, although the Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima), of Jamaica and Hispaniola, is virtually as tiny. The Bee Hummingbird is endemic to the main island of Cuba, although it formerly also occurred on the Isle of Youth, and is currently considered to be Near Threatened under IUCN criteria. It is easily found only in three regions of Cuba, namely the extreme west, on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, further east in the vicinity of the Zapata Swamp, and more widely in the far east of the island. The species feeds on nectar and insects. While females are distinguished from the much more widespread and ubiquitous Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) by their smaller size, much shorter tail, turquoise-blue upperparts, and cleaner, whiter underparts, among other features, males, which sing from high perches and in flight, are even more easily identified, and highly sought by visiting birdwatchers, because of the brilliant iridescent red head and throat, with elongated neck plumes.

5–6 cm; 1·6–2·6 g (1 Jiménez, A., I. García-Lau, A. González, L. Mugica, and M. Acosta (2014) Valores de masa corporal de 183 especies de aves cubanas. Revista Cubana de Ciencias Biológicas 3:22–42. Close ). Male is the smallest of all birds. Bill is straight and dull black; male has head and throat fiery red, and iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes; rest of upperparts bluish; rest of underparts mostly greyish white; tail slightly concave. Female is slightly larger, upperparts green, underparts whitish; tail rounded with white tips to outer rectrices. Juvenile similar to female.

Cuba and I of Pines.

Nectar of Aloe, Laguncularia, Goethea, Hibiscus, Malvaviscus, Leucaena, Hamelia, Ixora, Russelia and Duranta species; also reported to take nectar from flowers of the mangrove Avicennia germinans. During breeding, female observed feeding on Seufamia diversifolia, Pavonia spicata, Calophyllum antillanum and an Oxidiun orchid. Also takes small insects; chicks left alone in nest while female forages will catch and eat small insects that come within range.

Song a mixture of high-pitched warbling phrases and a very high-pitched, drawn-out, sizzling buzzy note, typically given from a high, bare vertical twig, above canopy of low forest. Chasing call a series of high-pitched buzzy scratchy notes. Calls include high-pitched “tsit” notes when feeding.

Mar–Jun. Nest is generally situated c. 3·5 m (3–5) above the ground on a thin twig, typically of Bucida buceras, Calophyllum antillanum or Nectandra coriacea; made of dried plant fibres with a soft inner layer of plant wool, decorated on outside with lichens, and usually partly hidden by overhanging leaves; construction, by female, takes c. 10 days. Clutch size two, with laying interval one day; incubation 21–22 days; naked, dark red chicks hatch asynchronously, one day apart; fed and brooded by female; have full set of feathers by 13–14 days old, and then perform flight exercises for 4–5 days; chicks leaving nest at c. 18 days old.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. CITES II. Population clearly in decline, presumably as a result of habitat loss, as species seems heavily dependent on mature forest types. Formerly occurred throughout Cuba and I of Pines, but may now survive only at a few localities on Guanahacabibes Peninsula, the Zapata Swamp , and the Cuchillas de Toa, though also recorded recently at Pinares de Mayarí and at other sites in province of Guantánamo. In Zapata Swamp, species restricted to areas of semi-deciduous forest, swamp-forest and mangroves.