Fun Bumblebee Hummingbird Facts For Kids

The bumblebee hummingbird belonging to the family of Trochilidae is one of the smallest birds known to exist in the world and the smallest bird found in the whole of North America.

These birds are so small that they are often mistaken for bees and hence, the name 'bumblebee hummingbird'.

It is mostly found in the dense, humid tropical forests of the mountains of Mexico, but some birds are also seen in parts of the United States, particularly in the forests of Arizona.

There is confusion regarding which bee hummingbird should get the title of the smallest bird of earth, the Cuban bee hummingbird or the bumblebee hummingbird which is mostly found in Mexico.

In fact, a few vagrant bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) can also be found in the Isles of Pines, Jamaica, and even Haiti.

These birds are very attractive to look at because of their colorful coat of feathers.

The bumblebee hummingbirds are sometimes confused with the Lucifer hummingbirds because both of them have a bright pink or purple, elongated gorget, however, the bumblebee hummingbirds have a straight, short bill and a rounded tail with a rufous base because of which they can be distinguished from the latter.

Female hummingbirds have dark spots in their throat region due through which they can be distinguished from males.

They mostly survive on nectar from various flowers and have a life expectancy of about seven years.

Continue reading the article to know more about this interesting bird!

For more relatable content, check out these umbrellabird facts and swallow facts for kids.

Bumblebee Hummingbird Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a bumblebee hummingbird?

The bumblebee hummingbird is one of the smallest birds on this planet and part of hummingbirds. It is very similar to bees in its behavior as well; these hummingbirds also search for nectar from various colorful plants and feed on them. The noise made by its tiny wings also sounds very similar to the buzz of the bees.

What class of animal does a bumblebee hummingbird belong to?

The bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) are birds that belong to the class of Aves and order of Apodiformes and familyTrochilidae.

How many bumblebee hummingbirds are there in the world?

The exact number of bumblebee hummingbirds present in the world is not known. However, they are not featured in any lists of endangered species.

Where does a bumblebee hummingbird live?

The  bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) is found primarily in North America. It is abundantly found in Mexico, Cuba and appears in some parts of the United States like Arizona. There have been instances when a few of these bee hummingbirds have been found in the Isles of Pines, Haiti, and Jamaica as well.

What is a bumblebee hummingbird's habitat?

The habitat of the bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) mostly comprises dense, humid, and semi-humid forests, mountain forests, pine woods, forest areas with a lot of shrubs. Tropical and subtropical forests mainly cover their natural habitat.

These hummingbirds are known to visit a number of flowers every day in search of nectar, so it is very important that there are a lot of flowers in their habitat.

Who do bumblebee hummingbirds live with?

The bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) is usually known to live solitarily. They are mostly found in forests and woodland edges where human settlement is negligible to almost non-existent. These birds are also known to be aggressively territorial.

How long does a bumblebee hummingbird live?

This bee hummingbird is known to live for almost seven years on average.

How do they reproduce?

The mating season usually starts at the onset of the dry season and the end of the wet season, when many shrubs and trees are starting to flower. Male bee hummingbirds compete amongst themselves for the female's attention by showing off their flight moves and feathers.

Male birds are known to abandon females and offspring once the mating is done.

Female hummingbirds are the sole caregivers of the offspring. The task of building the nest is also bestowed on the female bumblebee hummingbird.

The nests are made of moss, twigs, lichens, and fastened together with spider's web. The inner side of the nest is lined with soft animal hair, plant fibers, and fallen feathers to make it soft and comfortable for the chicks.

Since, the nest is held together with spider web and other expandable, sticky materials, this hummingbird nest has the unique property to stretch in order to provide more room for the growing chicks. The average bumblebee hummingbird lays two white eggs which are roughly about the size of a pea.

She then goes on to incubate the eggs for a period of 14 - 16 days.

After the eggs hatch, the female birds feed them and protect them. The chicks are mostly fed partially digested food like small insects as nectar from flowers is not enough to provide them with the protein that is needed to grow.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the bumblebee hummingbird is  Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.

Bumblebee Hummingbird Fun Facts

What do bumblebee hummingbirds look like?

The bumblebee hummingbird is one of the tiniest birds in the world and definitely the smallest in North America. It is about 2.75 in (7 cm) in length and is a hummingbird that looks like a bumblebee.

How cute are they?

Hummingbirds like Caliope hummingbirds are quite cute. Similarly, bumblebee hummingbirds are very cute and beautiful. One of the reasons for their cuteness is their tiny size but along with that, they are really colorful and bright.

How do they communicate?

These hummingbirds communicate with each other by chattering and through other vocalizations. Flying aggressively towards one another or other aerial displays is also a sign of communication amongst these hummingbirds. Males communicate with females through various flight tricks just before the beginning of the breeding season.

How big is a bumblebee hummingbird?

The bumblebee hummingbird size is so small that it is the tiniest bird in North America. The bird is only about 2.75 in long. It is almost the same size as that of a bee. It is slightly smaller than the rufous hummingbird, which is 2.8-3.6 in (7.3-9.1 cm) long.

How fast can a bumblebee hummingbird fly?

Bumblebee hummingbirds can fly pretty fast and they have unique flying skills. They can fly backward, straight up, down, and upside down also. The average flight speed of these hummingbirds ranges from 25-30 mph (42-47 kph).

How much does a bumblebee hummingbird weigh?

Bumblebee hummingbirds weigh 0.078 oz (2.2 g) on average.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of bumblebee hummingbirds do not have separate specific names. As with all other birds, the male is known as a cock, and the female is called a hen.

What would you call a baby bumblebee hummingbird?

There is no specific name for the baby bumblebee hummingbird. Just like the young ones of any other bird, the baby hummingbird is also called a chick.

What do they eat?

Usually, the adult bumblebee hummingbird is herbivorous and survives on nectar from various bright-colored, scented flowers. They are always seen hovering around bright-colored flowers.

They are known to visit about 1500 flowers in a single day. Sucrose from the nectar is the main constituent of their diet. However, while nursing the baby hummingbirds, the mother hummingbirds feeds her chicks half-digested insects and worms to maintain the protein in the diet for the chicks to grow properly.

Are they poisonous?

No, these hummingbirds are not poisonous. In fact, they are absolutely harmless to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

It is better to let these beautiful hummingbirds remain in their natural habitat. They might not be able to survive in confined, enclosed areas. Moreover, their main source of food is nectar from flowers which might be very difficult to obtain in enclosed areas. Thus, it is not a good idea to try to keep them as pets.

Did you know...

The Cuban bumblebee hummingbird beats its wings approximately 80 times while flying.

The body of the hummingbird bumblebee is so small that it weighs less than the British penny.

Females act as single parents throughout the nurturing period of the chicks. The male birds might never see the female birds after the mating is done.

The hummingbird bumblebee moth looks very similar to a bumblebee hummingbird, yellow and black in color. Few Bumblebee hummingbird moth host plants are Bee Balm, Butterfly Bush, Morning Glory, Lilac.

The topaz hummingbird vs bumblebee hummingbird debate regarding which is the smallest arose when there was a viral image of a topaz sitting on a toothpick. However, that image was discovered to be fake.

Venezuelan Sylphs, which is a hummingbird the size of a bumblebee from Venezuela, is an endangered species of the bee hummingbirds. They have beautiful blue feathers with a greenish throat. However, they are at risk of going extinct due to habitat loss.

How did the bumblebee hummingbird get its name?

The bumblebee hummingbird is very much like the bumblebee in its size and buzzing sound.

How can you tell a male from a female hummingbird?

The male bumblebee hummingbird has a bright pink or purple gorget which is rather expansive in size compared to its tiny body while the female hummingbirds have dark spots covering their neck region. This is the main way to differentiate between the male and the female.

The tail of both these hummingbirds is quite similar to look at, with the male birds having a shorter tail with a rusty base and white patterns at the corner.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal fact for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these summer tanager facts and bowerbird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bumblebee hummingbird coloring pages.