Birds are majestic masters of the sky, they have inspired the dreams of flying for many over the millenia. There are more than 10 000 bird species in the world and while it might be easy to spot and recognise birds such as eagles, geese and seagulls, there are many smaller birds that can easily be mistaken for an insect when flying by.
Here are the five smallest birds in the world:
5. The Goldcrest
The goldcrest is the fifth smallest bird in the world and the smallest bird in Europe. It grows to only 9 cm in length and weighs approximately 5.5g. What distinguishes the goldcrest from other small birds is its fiery orange stripe along its head. The goldcrest like all Regulus species are insectivorous and prefer eating insects and spiders to peanuts and seeds. They are also able to catch insects while hovering. Golcrests have a high breeding rate and can have up to twenty chicks in a year.
4. The Golden-Headed Cisticola
The golden-headed cisticola is found from India to Australia and is also known as the bright-headed cisticola. They are found in and around wetlands in rank vegetation. The golden-headed cisticola stitches together its nest using spiders' threads, because of this it is known as the 'finest tailor of the birds'.
3. The Pardalote
The spotted pardalote is an Australian bird found in the east coast, south-east and south-west corner of Australia. It is one of the most colourful birds and is also known as the diamondbird, growing to a length of only 8 to 10 centimetres.
2. The Weebill
The weebill is Australia's smallest bird and second smallest bird in the world. It is found throughout mainland Australia in woodlands and forests. The weebill's diet consists mainly of insects and larvae. It grows to a length of 8 to 9 centimetres and weighs only 6 grams.
1. The Bee hummingbird
The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world. The female bee hummingbird weighs only 2.6 g and is 6.1 cm long, the male is slightly smaller at 1.95 g in weight and 5.5 cm long. It is found in dense forests and also woodland edges on the main island of Cuba. The female bee hummingbird builds a nest using bark, bits of cobwebs and lichen, the nest is cup-shaped and is only about 2.5 cm in diameter.
The Bee Hummingbird's Nest in Comparison to the Size of a Coin
The bee hummingbird also have amazing flying abilities.
The bee hummingbirds flap their wings around eighty times per second; or even 200 times per minute during the male's courtship display, Bee hummingbirds can fly up to twenty hours nonstop. Flight speed: This species is capable of flying at speeds of 25 to 30 MPH or even faster during their territorial chases and dives.
This video shows just how small these birds are and also how they fly.
source
Source - the golden crest
Source - golden-headed cisticola
Source - spotted pardalote
Source - the weebill
Source - bee hummingbird
Source - top 10 smallest birds
