The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is a hummingbird, and the smallest of all birds. It can be found in Cuba (where it is called the zunzuncito), including the Isle of Youth. Its mass is approximately 1.8 g, and it is about 5 cm (2 inches) long.

Description

The male has the pileum and fiery red throat, the iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper-parts, and the rest of the underparts mostly greyish white. The female is green above, whitish below with white tips to the outer tail feathers. While more apt to be mistaken for a bee than a bird because of the size, the bird is not a mimic.

Female bee hummingbirds are bluish green with a pale gray underside. The tips of their tailfeathers have white spots. Breeding males have a pink to red head, chin, and throat. Non-breeding males look like females, except that their wingtips have blue spots.