My Science School

Weighing as little as two grams, the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world and it produces the smallest-known egg weighing half a gram. The smallest egg on record, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was less than 10 mm long and it was laid by a Vervain hummingbird native to Jamaica in 1998. Its appearance and flight style rivals that of some insects, especially bees, for which it gets its name. The Bee Hummingbird is also the bird with the smallest nest in the world, at only 1 inch in diameter and depth. Their eggs are also the smallest bird eggs in the world, measuring a mere 12.5 x 8.5 mm, the size of a coffee bean. A Bee Hummingbird egg is only half the weight of a standard paper clip!

The Bee Hummingbird is a tiny gem and a super brilliant one at that. The males are adorned with a vibrant crown and gorget of fiery reds, oranges and yellows. Its royal-blue back, wings and sides contrast nicely with its shimmering gorget. Females lack the iridescent crown and gorget, but still maintain the beautiful blue back and wings.  

Like other hummingbirds, it feeds on nectar and insects. The Bee Hummingbird is a strong flier and very active, visiting up to 1500 flowers a day! It has a fast metabolism, and consumes up to half its own body weight in nectar a day! As it feeds, it picks up pollen on its long, thin bill and transfers it to other flowers, aiding in plant pollination. Endemic to Cuba, the Bee Hummingbird has a patchy distribution on the island. It is most frequently encountered on the extreme western end and in the Zapata Peninsula.

Credit : Whitehawk

Picture Credit : Google 

Ever so often, we come across stories on how global warming affects wildlife - directly or indirectly. Here's yet another study that shows how it has impacted the behaviour of several species of birds.

Climate change has meant that spring has been arriving early in most regions of North America. A recent research paper has shown that many birds are laying their eggs earlier than before. When the study analysed the egg-laying behaviour of as many as 72 species of birds, they discovered that nearly one-third of all those birds were laying their eggs about a month earlier than they were a century ago. "Those affected include the mourning dove, American kestrel and Coopers hawk." They also include "bluejays, yellow warblers and field sparrows". However, it is not clear what is common among these species that could have led them to change their behaviour. It is interesting to note that most of these birds consumed insects, whose "seasonal behavior is also affected by climate".

When there are changes in seasons, it can affect some species directly and impact many others indirectly. Nature has always held in place a cycle of dependence and co-existence. For instance, a butterfly could lay its eggs and have caterpillars emerge around the time a plant has leaves enough to feed these caterpillars. While some of these fattening caterpillars would make a hearty meal for birds, some may escape becoming bird food and grow into butterflies. When they do become butterflies, the ideal situation is for plants to have flowers so the butterflies can sip on nectar. And, in the process, help new plants grow through pollination, and keep the cycle alive.

But if one aspect of this gets altered, the rest can be affected too. Here's a small example. If butterflies emerge when a plant is not flowering, it is likely to affect the butterflies and the emergence of new plants.

Reports suggest that birds nest to align with "the budding of plants and the increase in insect numbers". But if they lay eggs early, they may not find as many insects to feed themselves and the chicks. Further, since spring comes after winter, the early part of spring may still witness spells of cold weather that could affect budding and insects, in turn, leading to diminished food sources for the birds and chicks. If the spells are intense and last long, the impact will be acute - not all chicks may survive.

Picture Credit : Google