The Bee Hummingbird or Helena hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the world’s smallest bird measuring 24 inches long and weighing 1.98 gms. It is close in size to a large bee and hence its name. The female builds a nest barely an inch across, and her egg measures 0.275 inches long, making it the smallest egg laid by any bird. In flight, the Bee Hummingbird’s tiny wings beat 80 times a second, and during a courtship flight, up to 200 times per second!
The male has a green pileum and bright red throat, iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper parts, and the rest of the underparts mostly greyish white. Compared to other small hummingbirds, which often have a slender appearance, the bee hummingbird looks rounded and plump.
Female bee hummingbirds are bluish green with a pale gray underside. The tips of their tail feathers have white spots. During the mating season, males have a reddish to pink head, chin, and throat. The female lays only two eggs at a time, each about the size of a coffee bean.
The brilliant, iridescent colors of the bee hummingbird’s feathers make the bird seem like a tiny jewel. The iridescence is not always noticeable, but depends on the viewing angle. The bird’s slender, pointed bill is adapted for probing deep into flowers. The bee hummingbird feeds mainly on nectar, by moving its tongue rapidly in and out of its mouth. In the process of feeding, the bird picks up pollen on its bill and head. When it flies from flower to flower, it transfers the pollen. In this way, it plays an important role in plant reproduction. In one day, the bee hummingbird may visit 1,500 flowers.
Picture Credit : Google
