Do you like birds? Do you know which are the smallest birds in the world? And from Spain? In this article we will analyze some of the smallest birds in the world according to their category. In turn, you will get a little information about the life of these birds. Let’s go there!

The smallest bird in the world

When you see images of the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) next to a flower, you can easily understand where it gets its name. Landing on the flower like their stinging black and yellow namesakes, they are not much larger than a bee. They have their origin in Cuba and its surrounding islands. The males of the species are smaller than the females, measuring a tiny 5.5 cm. The females are not much larger at 6.1 cm long. Males weigh around 1.95 grams and females around 2.6 grams, respectively. That is, they do not weigh much more than gum.

Size is not the only thing the bee hummingbird has in common with real bees. As this bird feeds on nectar (as well as some very small insects), they go from flower to flower in search of food. Pollen sticks to their feathers, just like a bee’s legs. This, in turn, means that they can pollinate flowers. Since the hummingbird bee can reach up to 1500 flowers per day, they are very important to its ecosystem.

Although they are small, their wings can beat 200 times per second, which allows them to stay “floating” on the flowers on which they feed. The tiny feathers on its wings are no less beautiful for their small size. Smaller males show reddish and metallic blue hues in their plumage. However, their color may change slightly during the mating season. Females are more subdued bluish-green and gray, but both can have iridescence on their feathers.

What is the smallest bird of prey in the world?

The elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi) is not only the smallest owl, but the smallest bird of prey. They are native to the United States and live primarily in bushland, but can migrate to Mexico during the colder times of the year. A bird of prey is one that feeds on vertebrates, but with an average body mass of only 40 grams, the elf owl will not attack large prey. They mostly feed on insects, but also small mammals, reptiles, and even other birds.

As a nocturnal animal, it protects itself from sunlight by staying in holes made by woodpeckers. Although it is the smallest bird of prey in the world, it is not known for its fierceness. They have been known to feign death when faced with a larger predator.

What is the second smallest bird in the world?

We know that the smallest bird is the bee hummingbird, but what about the second? We also know what it is! The vervian hummingbird (Mellisuga minima) is an equally small creature, but it only loses in the rankings by a fraction of an inch. They also weigh on average about 0.1 grams more than the bee hummingbird.

They live mainly in Latin America, particularly in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. For this reason it can be extracted that they prefer to live in tropical and subtropical climates, particularly in areas of tropical jungle. They can also be found near agricultural plantations where they forage, such as near private gardens or bushes. Their plumage is metallic green on the back with a paler green hue on the chest and belly.

What is the smallest bird egg in the world?

While we know the smallest and second smallest birds in the world, it would be logical to think that the bee hummingbird has the smallest egg in the world. Curiously, this is not so. The vervian hummingbird, on average, is believed to have the smallest bird egg at about 1 cm in average length and 0.375 grams in average weight.

The hummingbird uses its rapidly flapping wings not only to fly over flowers, but also to prepare the nest for its young. However, unlike other bird species, this seems to be a female-only matter. Male hummingbirds are not believed to participate in nesting. The nest is usually not much larger than the bird and they are usually built in the shape of a cup. They stick it to branches or even sturdy leaves, something they can do thanks to their tiny size.

Nest materials are lichens and spider silk. This gives the structure a malleability unlike other bird nests. This means that the nest itself can expand as the chicks grow. The vervian hummingbird will only lay one or two eggs at a time.

What is the smallest bird in Spain?

The fauna in Spain is made up of more than 1200 species, where specifically the poultry is made up of more than 368 different species. Would you like to discover which of these species has the smallest bird in Spain? Keep reading because we will tell you about it below!

It is the simple wren (Regulus regulus), a bird that is characterized by having a greenish body on the back, dark wings and a yellow stripe on its head. The song of this species is very high-pitched and even repetitive, so it can be very easy to identify it.

In Spain it can be found in mountainous and humid areas, especially in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, although it can also be found in the forests of the Canary Islands. Its diet is based exclusively on insects and during the breeding season it lays between 6 and 13 eggs, incubated for 15 or 16 days.

Although it is not considered a threatened species in Spain, it can be affected by forest fires, tree felling or the use of pesticides.