# Bee Hummingbird (*Mellisuga helenae*)

The bee hummingbird (*Mellisuga helenae*) is a bird of the hummingbird family, Trochilidae, in the order Apodiformes.

> The bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the smallest bird in the world, about 6 cm long and weighing around 2.3 g. It lives only in Cuba, in forests and woodland edges with plenty of flowers. Breeding males have an iridescent pinkish-red head and throat. It is listed as Near Threatened because forest loss and degradation are causing a moderately rapid decline.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Near Threatened
- **Range:** Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bee-hummingbird/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Apodiformes
- **Family:** Trochilidae
- **Genus:** Mellisuga

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Mellisuga helenae |
| Diet | Nectar and small insects |
| Habitat | Dense forest and woodland edges with bushes, vines and epiphytes |
| Length | About 6 cm |
| Weight | About 2.3 g |
| Lifespan | Up to 7 years in the wild; 10 in captivity |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021) |

## The smallest bird

At about 6 cm long and 2.3 g, the bee hummingbird is smaller and lighter than any other living bird, and about the size of a large bee. Females are slightly larger than males.

## Identification

Both sexes are bluish-green above and pale grey below. In the breeding season the male's head and throat turn iridescent pinkish-red, with elongated feathers at the sides of the throat.

## Cuban endemic

The species lives only on Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud. BirdLife describes it mainly in dense forest and woodland edges with plenty of bushes, depending on mature forest with lianas and epiphytes, and occasionally in gardens and swamps.

## Why it is Near Threatened

BirdLife International lists it as Near Threatened (2021), estimating 22,000 to 66,000 mature birds. It is declining moderately quickly because of forest loss and degradation and has disappeared from many areas where it was once widespread.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the smallest bird in the world?

The bee hummingbird of Cuba, about 6 cm long and weighing around 2.3 g.

### Where do bee hummingbirds live?

Only in Cuba, including the Isla de la Juventud.

### Is the bee hummingbird endangered?

It is listed as Near Threatened because forest loss is causing it to decline.

### How long do bee hummingbirds live?

Up to about 7 years in the wild and 10 years in captivity.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Bee Hummingbird Mellisuga helenae. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/bee-hummingbird-mellisuga-helenae)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Mellisuga helenae. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mellisuga_helenae/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Bee Hummingbird

The bee hummingbird is listed as Near Threatened, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bee-hummingbird/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.