How Big is the Smallest Bird in the World?

How big do you think the smallest bird in the world is?

Just over two inches tall. That’s the average size of the bee hummingbird. These birds are so tiny that they’re often mistaken for bees.¹ They like to hang around flowers and eat nectar – they’ll come into contact with over a thousand flowers a day.² 

These birds can only be found in Cuba.¹ Their nests are roughly the size of a golf ball and the eggs they lay are only as big as a coffee bean. Females will usually lay two eggs at a time. In the wild, they can live up to seven years old.²

Meanwhile, the largest bird in the world is over 190% bigger than the bee hummingbird. It’s the ostrich, standing between six and nine feet tall and weighing over two hundred pounds.³ Ostrich eggs, too, are much larger and weigh over three pounds each.⁴ 

Due to their size, however, ostriches can’t fly. They can run, though, and can reach speeds up to 43 mph. They hold the titles of largest bird, largest eggs, and quickest animal on two legs.³ In the wild, they can live to be forty years old and can live even longer in captivity.⁴

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1. https://www.audubon.org/news/get-know-bee-hummingbird-worlds-smallest-bird

2. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/meet-smallest-bird-earth-q1btcp/21346/

3. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/birds-superlatives-animals-spd?loggedin=true

4. https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/ostrich