What is the smallest bird?

The smallest bird is the bee hummingbird. Native to Cuba, this tiny hummingbird is scientifically known as Mellisuga helenae and is the smallest living bird species by both length and mass.

Adult males average about 5.5 centimetres long and weigh roughly 1.95 grams; females are slightly larger, at about 6.1 centimetres and 2.6 grams. The species feeds mainly on flower nectar and small insects, and its rapid wingbeats allow it to hover while feeding.

Bee hummingbirds are often confused with other tiny birds, especially the goldcrest, Europe’s smallest bird. The ruby-throated hummingbird is also small, but it is substantially larger. Despite its size, the bee hummingbird plays an important ecological role by carrying pollen between flowers in Cuba. Its eggs are only about the size of coffee beans.