Hummingbird Size

Size of hummingbirds

The mass of most hummingbird species ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 grams, and the length of most species usually ranges from approximately 6 to 12 cm. The reddish hermit hummingbird (scientific name: Phaethornis ruber) and the bee hummingbird (scientific name: Mellisuga helenae) are considered the smallest hummingbirds and weigh Less than two grams. On the other hand, the giant hummingbird (scientific name: Patagona gigas ) is considered the largest species of hummingbird. Its mass ranges from 19 to 21 grams, and its length can reach 23 cm.

The length of the bee hummingbird is only about 5 cm from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail, and it is considered the smallest bird on the surface of the earth The beak and tail each represent approximately half of its total length.

Various facts about the size of hummingbirds

Things related to the size of hummingbirds include the following:

Hummingbirds are generally considered very small birds , and their brain mass constitutes about 4% of their total body mass.

Female hummingbirds can be larger than males, but males’ colors are usually more attractive, while females’ colors are less beautiful and vibrant.

The sword-billed hummingbird has a very long beak that can sometimes be longer than the length of its entire body.

Hummingbird nests are very small, and the size of the nests of the smallest species may be approximately half the size of a walnut shell.

The size of hummingbird eggs is less than the size of coffee beans, and the width of its nest is less than 2.5 cm. In general, the mass of hummingbird eggs, white in color and oval in shape, is equivalent to about 10% of the mass of the female that laid them.

The wing beat rate of hummingbirds is very high, reaching about 80 for males of the smallest species.

The hummingbird’s heart rate can reach more than 1,200 beats per minute, due to the bird’s very small size.

The external appearance of hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are known for their small size, long, thin beaks, and agility in flight. They have beaks of various shapes, and the length and shape of the beak can often tell the types of flowers that each species feeds on. Hummingbirds have divided and extendable tongues that they use to extract nectar from flowers.

These birds have small feet, which makes them unable to walk on the ground, so they prefer flying instead of walking when they want to move, and they also have a high ability to maneuver during flight.

Hummingbirds have two subgroups: the hermit hummingbirds (scientific name: Phaethornithinae) and the hummingbirds (Trochilinae). The first group is usually characterized by reddish-gray brown colors without iridescence in colors, while the other is characterized by iridescent feathers that range in color from metallic red to orange. Green and blue, the iridescence is usually more pronounced in males than in females and appears on the bird’s head and the upper and lower parts of the body.