![]() The following is an email from Andy Symes in regard to the endangered status of this hummingbird: I wrote to BirdLife International, which is the largest group of bird conservation organizations in the world. Also these ultra miniature birds are highly susceptible to storms and changes in climate. The loss of habitat is due partly to ranching and de-forestation. They live as many as 7 years.īee Hummingbirds are classified as "Near Threatened" to extinction on the Red List for birds in regard to conservation. They are known to live a long life relative to some other species. Here is a video of a Bee Hummingbird eating insects: Suburban residents supply feeders and nectar. They access high quality nectar from the gorgeous tropical flowers that grow abundantly in Cuba. Spiders and other insects are a source of protein. This is a semi-migration like state that reduces its energy needs. It is simply too small to maintain its body temperature.Īt night its uses a special adaptation called Torpor. This bird cannot stay warm enough at night. (Feeding on as many as 1,500 small flowers per day). All that flying coupled with a high body temperature causes these birds to feed almost constantly all day long. They spend more time flying than any other species. They are exceptionally fast fliers and have been clocked at 25 to 30 miles per hour. These brave little birds are extraordinarily courageous against larger birds. ![]() This is a good indication of the tiny size of the Bee Hummingbird. Also notice the size of the Bee Hummingbird in comparison to the size of the caterpillar. NOTE: In the video below, notice the female collecting insects as she flies with her beak open and returns to the nest to feed her babies. These chicks fledge anywhere from 18 to 37 days. The female incubates her eggs for 14 to 23 days. The female builds the nest and typically lays 2 white eggs. Many hummingbirds engage in a theatrical acrobatic hummingbird mating dive. It normally occurs while perching or simply hovering in the air. Unlike some other species, the mating ritual is not dramatic. More than one male will compete for a female. The male hummingbird makes a series of high-pitched squeaks to attract his mate. Ladies you might find this as unromantic as I do. Of course these flowers are for the extra food supply the female will need later for her young.Įxcuse my humor but the male hummingbird does not court his females by bringing flowers for romance. They require the more abundant nectar of flowering trees and plants available during the dry season. Living in a tropical climate, these hummingbirds mate after the wet season. They do move short distances because of changes in availability of high quality nectar from flowers during different seasons of the year. These hummingbirds do not migrate because of the climate they inhabit. Usually, they are seen along the coast, in the interior rainforest, and in suburban gardens. The wing tips of females have white spots.Įven though these miniature hummingbirds can live at either high or low altitudes, they prefer lowlands. You need to look closely at the wing tips which have blue spots. So it can be difficult to distinguish them apart. The juvenile non-breeding males have the appearance of females. The breeding male has a fiery red gorget (throat). A few of the adventurous ones have been seen in Jamaica and Haiti.īeing content with the lovely sub-tropical climate of these locations, these birds do not migrate elsewhere.īoth males and females are chunky (like bees). It has been spotted on the Isla da la Juventud, a large island off Cuba. The Zunzuncito or Zunzun Hummingbird (Cuban names) only lives on the Caribbean Island of Cuba. This hummingbird has been proven to be slightly larger. We have built a page on this website dedicated to the Hummingbird Moth so you can distinguish the insect from the hummingbird.Īnother less common error is to mistake this hummingbird for the Bumblebee Hummingbird of Mexico. We receive emails every now and then from our visitors confusing the Hummingbird Moth with the Bee Hummingbird. ![]() The Hummingbird Moth is a wonderful insect that resembles a hummingbird in appearance and behavior. It is common for people all over the world to mistake an insect, the Hummingbird Moth, with the Bee Hummingbird. They only grow to be 5.51 cm long weighing about 1.95 grams. Females are a mere 6.1 cm long and weigh approximately 2.6 grams. As you may have guessed, these birds are comparable in size to the bumblebee.
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