Toggle navigation
Emperor Ken's World
Store
Galleries
Home
Oil
Pastel, Pencil, Ink
Digital
Animation
Photography
Commercial
Music
Songbird ReMix
Home
Store & Downloads
Bird Encyclopedia
Newsletters
Nature's Wonders
Tutorials
Hall of Fame
Elsa's Cockatoo Corner
Nature's Wonders
Home
Products
Quail Hollow
Home
The Houses
The Garden
Flora and Fauna
Bird List
Bird Photos
Fauna Photos
Flora Photos
Fun Stuff
Home
TI-99/4a
WOT Condors Clan
KBGB Enterprises
Diversions
Downloads
About
About Ken
Press
Awards
Art Biography
Eco-Talk Blog
Contact
Search
×
Search Emperor Ken's World
View source
From SongbirdReMixWiki
for
Bee Hummingbird
Jump to:
navigation
,
search
[[Image:Beehummingbird.JPG]] '''Common Name:''' Bee Hummingbird or Zunzuncito<br> '''Scientific Name:''' Mellisuga helenae '''Size:''' 2 inches (5 cm) '''Habitat:''' Central America; endemic to Cuba and Isla de la Juventud. This species is uncommon and restricted to the eastern slopes of the río Utcubamba valley (an affluent on the right bank of the río Marañón) in the Cordillera del Colán, Amazonas, and one locality further east in San Martín, north Peru. It occurs in forest edges, second growth, montane scrub and, in particular, thorny, impenetrable Rubus thickets admixed with Alnus trees, at 2,100-2,900 m (occasionally 1,700-3,700 m). '''Status:''' Near Threatened. '''Global Population:''' Unknown amount of mature individuals; the species is suspected to be declining at a slow to moderate rate. The historic decline is principally the result of habitat modification and destruction. Much of Cuba's natural vegetation has been converted to cultivation and pasture for cattle, with only 15-20% of land remaining in its natural state, and the recent expansion of cacao, coffee and tobacco production poses a further serious threat. '''Diet:''' Flower nectar; its preferred food-plant is the red-flowered lily Alstroemeria (Bomarea) formosissima, but it has been observed feeding on at least five species of flowering plant. '''Breeding:''' The male bee hummingbird exhibits extravagant breeding plumage, with iridescent, fiery red-pink feathers on the head and throat, which are elongated around the neck. The rest of the upper-parts are bluish-green, and the underside is white-grey, with blue spots on the wing tips and black-tipped tail feathers. The brightly colored feathers are only apparent before and during the breeding season, and are shed shortly after, when they are replaced by more drab plumage. The female bee hummingbird is slightly larger than the male, with green upper-parts, white tips to the tail feathers, and without the iridescent plumage. Using bits of cobwebs, bark, and lichen, the female bee hummingbird builds a cup-shaped nest that is only about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Nests have been built on single clothespins. She lines the nest with soft plant fibers. In this nest she lays her eggs, which are no bigger than peas. She alone incubates the eggs and raises the young. Nesting takes place between April and June. '''Cool Facts:''' The diminutive bee hummingbird has the incredible distinction of being the smallest living bird in the world. The bee hummingbird beats its wings an estimated 80 times per second — so fast that the wings look like a blur to human eyes. '''Included in [http://hivewire3d.com/songbird-remix-hummingbirds-of-north-america.html Songbird ReMix Hummingbirds of North America]'''
Return to
Bee Hummingbird
.
Views
Page
Discussion
View source
History
Personal tools
Log in
Navigation
Main Page
Songbird ReMix website
FAQ
Songbird ReMix Products
Environment & Birds
Random page
Help
Songbird ReMix Bird Library
Within the Continental US
Northern Canada & the Arctic
Central America & Carribean
South America
Africa
Europe
Asia & Indonesia
Oceania: Australia & New Zealand
Oceania: Hawaii & Polynesia
Antactica & Sub-Antartica
Imaginary & Mythical
Search
Toolbox
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages