The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird is a species of hummingbird, native to the island of Cuba in the Caribbean. It is the smallest known bird. The bee hummingbird feeds on nectar of flowers and bugs found in Cuba.
Image: Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) adult male in flight cropped
Image: Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) female in flight
Adult male, Cuba
Juvenile male
Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Central and South America. As of 2024, 21 hummingbird species are listed as endangered or critically endangered, with numerous species declining in population.
Hummingbird
Adult male bee hummingbird, Cuba
Close-up of toe arrangement in a ruby-throated hummingbird foot, showing three claw-like toes forward and one backward.
A nesting female Allen's hummingbird