"been estimated at up to . Nevertheless, sizes of dinosaurs are commonly labelled with a level of uncertainty, as the available material often (or even usually) is incomplete. With a mass of approximately and a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in), the bee hummingbird (""Mellisuga helenae"") is the world's smallest bird species and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate. Called the ""zunzún"" in its native habitat on Cuba, it is lighter than a Canadian or U.S. penny. It is said that it is ""more apt to be mistaken for a bee than a bird"". The bee hummingbird eats half its total body"
"Bee hummingbird The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird (""Mellisuga helenae"") is a species of hummingbird which is the world's smallest bird. It is endemic to Cuba and the Isle of Pines. The bee hummingbird is the smallest living bird. Females weigh and are long, and are slightly larger than males, with an average weight of and length of . As its name suggests, it is scarcely larger than a bee. Like all hummingbirds, it is a swift, strong flier. The male has a green pileum and fiery red throat, iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper parts, and"
"primary food source (flowers for nectar). Bee hummingbird The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird (""Mellisuga helenae"") is a species of hummingbird which is the world's smallest bird. It is endemic to Cuba and the Isle of Pines. The bee hummingbird is the smallest living bird. Females weigh and are long, and are slightly larger than males, with an average weight of and length of . As its name suggests, it is scarcely larger than a bee. Like all hummingbirds, it is a swift, strong flier. The male has a green pileum and fiery red throat, iridescent gorget with elongated"
"the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's conservation status as ""near threatened"". Little brown bustard The little brown bustard (""Eupodotis humilis"") is a species of bird in the family Otididae. Found in Ethiopia and Somalia, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. As indicated by its name, this bustard is the world's smallest at 45 cm (18 in) and 600 grams (1.3 lb). It is threatened by habitat destruction. The smallest species in its genus, the little brown bustard reaches a maximum length of about . They"
"Least flycatcher The least flycatcher (""Empidonax minimus""), (also called chebec, or chebecker, after the sound it makes), is a small insect-eating bird. It is the smallest ""Empidonax"" flycatcher in eastern North America. The closest relative to the least flycatcher was long thought to be the Hammond's flycatcher based on similarities in their songs and appearances. However, mitochondrial DNA analysis has revealed that the least flycatcher diverges significantly from its congeners and does not possess any sister taxa. The least flycatcher is hard to distinguish from the other birds of its genus. The bird is one of the smallest of the"
"Little brown bustard The little brown bustard (""Eupodotis humilis"") is a species of bird in the family Otididae. Found in Ethiopia and Somalia, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. As indicated by its name, this bustard is the world's smallest at 45 cm (18 in) and 600 grams (1.3 lb). It is threatened by habitat destruction. The smallest species in its genus, the little brown bustard reaches a maximum length of about . They are light brown birds with whitish underparts. The male has a black tuft on the nape,"
"two or three brown-speckled cream-colored eggs. Widespread and common in its habitat throughout its range, the weebill is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Weebill The weebill (""Smicrornis brevirostris"") is Australia's smallest bird at approximately long. It is an olive-yellow songbird with a grey bill, brown wings, pale yellow eyes and grey feet. Its tail feathers are brown with a black bar and white spot on the tip of all inner webs but the central pairs. The sexes are similar. The weebill is the only member of genus ""Smicrornis""; gene flow is strong and"
"Weebill The weebill (""Smicrornis brevirostris"") is Australia's smallest bird at approximately long. It is an olive-yellow songbird with a grey bill, brown wings, pale yellow eyes and grey feet. Its tail feathers are brown with a black bar and white spot on the tip of all inner webs but the central pairs. The sexes are similar. The weebill is the only member of genus ""Smicrornis""; gene flow is strong and local variation follows Bergmann's and Gloger's Rules. The weebill is found in woodlands and forests throughout mainland Australia. The diet consists mostly of insects and larvae. The female usually lays"
"Stits DS-1 The Stits DS-1 Baby Bird is a homebuilt aircraft built to achieve a ""world's smallest"" status. The Baby Bird is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Smallest Airplane in the World.” as of 1984. The title was later defined as ""world's smallest monoplane"" to acknowledge The Robert Star Bumble Bee as the world's smallest biplane. The DS-1 is a single-engine, single-seat highwing aircraft. Development started in 1980 to beat Ray Stits' record for World's smallest aircraft, the Stits SA-2A Sky Baby. The fuselage is welded steel tubing with fabric covering. The wing is all-wood construction."
"the highly competitive site selection of winter habitat, where the first to arrive are the first to be served. Least flycatcher The least flycatcher (""Empidonax minimus""), (also called chebec, or chebecker, after the sound it makes), is a small insect-eating bird. It is the smallest ""Empidonax"" flycatcher in eastern North America. The closest relative to the least flycatcher was long thought to be the Hammond's flycatcher based on similarities in their songs and appearances. However, mitochondrial DNA analysis has revealed that the least flycatcher diverges significantly from its congeners and does not possess any sister taxa. The least flycatcher is"
"Least sandpiper The least sandpiper (""Calidris minutilla"") is the smallest shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ""kalidris"" or ""skalidris"", a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ""minutilla"" is Medieval Latin for ""very small"". This species has greenish legs and a short, thin, dark bill. Breeding adults are brown with dark brown streaks on top and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a dark crown. In winter, Least sandpipers are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes. This bird can be"
"Least bittern The least bittern (""Ixobrychus exilis"") is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas. The least bittern is one of the smallest herons in the world, with perhaps only the dwarf bittern and the black-backed bittern averaging smaller in length. It can measure from in length, and the wingspan ranges from . Body mass is from , with most least bitterns weighing between , making this perhaps the lightest of all herons. A recent manual of avian body masses cites another species in this genus, the stripe-backed bittern, as having a mean"
"""Megaphragma caribea"" from Guadeloupe, measuring 170 μm long, is another contender for smallest known insect in the world. Beetles of the tribe Nanosellini are all less than 1 mm long; the smallest confirmed specimen is of ""Scydosella musawasensis"" at 325 μm long; a few other nanosellines are reportedly smaller, in historical literature, but none of these records have been confirmed using accurate modern tools. These are among the tiniest non-parasitic insects. The western pygmy blue (""Brephidium exilis"") is one of the smallest butterflies in the world. The smallest sea cucumber, and also the smallest echinoderm, is ""Psammothuria ganapati"", a synaptid"
"species. ""Pygmy eagle"" has been designated the official name by the IOC. The world's smallest-known species of eagle, the pygmy eagle measures in length. The wingspan measures . The female eagle is slightly smaller than the male. The pygmy eagle shares many characteristics with its counterpart the little eagle. The most notable differences are color. The pygmy eagle has darker more pronounced streaks on the nape, crown and ventral. The bird also shares characteristics with the booted eagle, both eagles have a unique underwing pattern. The plumage of the pygmy eagle can vary depending on the morph, light or dark."
"Euryplatea nanaknihali Euryplatea nanaknihali is the world's smallest fly, measuring in size. Due to its small size, the viscosity of air is problematic for the insect, and even the smallest air currents are a large impediment. Scientists expressed amazement that such a tiny animal could still have all the organs of a normal insect. They are believed to lay their eggs in the heads of small ""Crematogaster"" ants. The larva consumes the interior of the ant's head, within whose exoskeleton it pupates, before emerging as an adult. The species has been found in a number of national parks in Thailand."
"Hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and constitute the biological family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in length. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the bee hummingbird weighing less than . They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air at rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species, to in excess of 80 in some of the smallest. Of those species that have"
"Least grebe The least grebe (""Tachybaptus dominicus""), an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Chile and Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles. The least grebe ranges in length from (depending on the subspecies) and in weight from . Weights are variable based on region and subspecies, being smaller in Panama, where males weighed a mean of against the females and larger in the West Indies, where the sexes weigh a mean of and , respectively."
"or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. At 7.5 cm (3 in) and under 3 grams in weight, this is one of the smallest birds in existence. Amethyst woodstar The amethyst woodstar (""Calliphlox amethystina"") is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in most of central, and eastern South America proper, in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname-(the Guianas), Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. The bird's range surrounds the Amazon countries into the Andes foothills and higher elevations of upstream river systems, but is not along the Amazon River"
"Thirty-four flights took place in 1984 with United States Navy pilot Harold Nemer at the controls. Stits DS-1 The Stits DS-1 Baby Bird is a homebuilt aircraft built to achieve a ""world's smallest"" status. The Baby Bird is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Smallest Airplane in the World.” as of 1984. The title was later defined as ""world's smallest monoplane"" to acknowledge The Robert Star Bumble Bee as the world's smallest biplane. The DS-1 is a single-engine, single-seat highwing aircraft. Development started in 1980 to beat Ray Stits' record for World's smallest aircraft, the Stits SA-2A"
"Least auklet The least auklet (""Aethia pusilla"") is a seabird and the smallest species of auk. It is the most abundant seabird in North America, and one of the most abundant in the world, with a population of around nine million birds. They breed on the islands of Alaska and Siberia, and spend the winter close to the edge of the ice sheet. Their largest colonies are on the Aleutian Islands, St. Lawrence Island and Little Diomede Island. Least auklets feed predominantly on calanoid copepods, particularly those of the genus ""Neocalanus"". They also eat euphausiids, pteropods and other zooplankton species."
"Shining bronze cuckoo The shining bronze-cuckoo (""Chrysococcyx lucidus"") is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae, found in Australia, Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. It was previously also known as ""Chalcites lucidus"". It is the world’s smallest cuckoo, being only in length, and parasitises chiefly dome-shaped nests of various ""Gerygone"" species, having a range that largely corresponds with the distribution of that genus. It may also parasitise other Acanthizidae species, and is also the most southerly ranging brood parasitic bird species in the world, extending to 45°S in New Zealand. The German"
"It is named after Nanak Nihal Weiss, a boy interested in insects who frequented the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County with his father. Euryplatea nanaknihali Euryplatea nanaknihali is the world's smallest fly, measuring in size. Due to its small size, the viscosity of air is problematic for the insect, and even the smallest air currents are a large impediment. Scientists expressed amazement that such a tiny animal could still have all the organs of a normal insect. They are believed to lay their eggs in the heads of small ""Crematogaster"" ants. The larva consumes the interior of the"
"the world. In Europe, kinglets are commonly known as ""wrens"", the common firecrest and goldcrest as ""fire-crested wren"" and ""golden-crested wren"", respectively. The 27 Australasian ""wren"" species in the family Maluridae are unrelated, as are the New Zealand wrens in the family Acanthisittidae, the antbirds in the family Thamnophilidae, and the Old World babbler of the family Timaliidae. Wrens are medium-small to very small birds. The Eurasian wren is among the smallest birds in its range, while the smaller species from the Americas are among the smallest passerines in that part of the world. They range in size from the"
"Least storm petrel The least storm petrel (""Oceanodroma microsoma"") is a small seabird of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae. It is 13–15 cm in length, with a wingspan of 32 cm. It is the smallest member of the order Procellariiformes. It breeds on islands off the Baja Peninsula and Gulf of California of Mexico in rock crevices or small burrows in soft earth and lays a single white egg. Like most petrels, its walking ability is limited to a short shuffle to the burrow. It is a colonial nester. It spends the rest of the year at sea, reaching as"
"and for the other ""Microhierax"" species. The Pied falconet can be seen in groups of 5 or 6 which suggest that they may also breed cooperatively. Pied falconet The pied falconet, (""Microhierax melanoleucos"") is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. These raptors belong to the genus ""Microheriax"", which includes the smallest bird of prey species in the world. The pied falconet, also known as the white-legged falconet, nests in old woodpecker cavities. The species is listed as"
"The young birds feed themselves and are able to fly within two weeks of birth. They migrate in flocks to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. They occur as very rare vagrants in western Europe. These birds forage on mudflats, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat small crustaceans, insects, and snails. Least sandpiper The least sandpiper (""Calidris minutilla"") is the smallest shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ""kalidris"" or ""skalidris"", a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ""minutilla"" is Medieval Latin"
"as the sword-billed hummingbird and the sicklebills, are co-evolved with a small number of flower species. The bee hummingbird (""Mellisuga helenae"") – the world's smallest bird – evolved to dwarfism likely because it had to compete with long-billed hummingbirds having an advantage for nectar foraging from specialized flowers, consequently leading the bee hummingbird to more successfully compete for flower foraging against insects. Many plants pollinated by hummingbirds produce flowers in shades of red, orange, and bright pink, though the birds will take nectar from flowers of other colors as well. Hummingbirds can see wavelengths into the near-ultraviolet, but hummingbird-pollinated flowers"
"Calliope hummingbird The calliope hummingbird (""Selasphorus calliope"") is a very small hummingbird native to the United States and Canada and, during winter, Central America. It was previously considered the only member of the genus Stellula, but recent evidence suggests placement in the genus ""Selasphorus"". This bird was named after the Greek muse Calliope. The former genus name means ""little star"". This is the smallest breeding bird found in Canada and the United States. The only smaller species ever found in the U.S. is the bumblebee hummingbird, an accidental vagrant from Mexico. An adult calliope hummingbird can measure in length, span"
"nest on a tree branch. Ten to twelve eggs are incubated by the female alone, and the chicks are fed by both parents; second broods are common. This kinglet is constantly on the move as it searches for insects to eat, and in winter it is often found with flocks of tits. It may be killed by birds of prey or carry parasites, but its large range and population mean that it is not considered to present any significant conservation concerns. The goldcrest is the smallest European bird, in length, with a wingspan and a weight of . It is"
"Little friarbird The little friarbird (""Philemon citreogularis""), also known as the little leatherhead or yellow throated friarbird, is the smallest of the friarbirds within the Philemon genus. It is found Throughout northern and eastern Australia as well as southern Papua New Guinea. It lives a very prominent life whereby it can easily be seen chasing other honeyeaters and is very vocal. However, the little friarbird is usually spotted high up in trees as it rarely is seen on the ground. The little friarbird ranges from 25–30 cm in length. The average size tends to be 27 cm with an average"
"Scintillant hummingbird The scintillant hummingbird (""Selasphorus scintilla"") is the smallest hummingbird within its range, which includes only the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. This tiny bird inhabits brushy forest edges, coffee plantations and sometimes gardens at altitudes from , and up to when not breeding. It is only long, including the bill. The male weighs and the female . This is one of the smallest birds in existence, marginally larger than the bee hummingbird. The black bill is short and straight. The adult male scintillant hummingbird has bronze-green upperparts and a rufous and black-striped tail. The throat is"
"tapered oval shape averaging 28mm by 20mm in size. The eggs appear chestnut in colour and can be a whitish pink to salmon red, or spotted purplish red to purple. Little friarbird The little friarbird (""Philemon citreogularis""), also known as the little leatherhead or yellow throated friarbird, is the smallest of the friarbirds within the Philemon genus. It is found Throughout northern and eastern Australia as well as southern Papua New Guinea. It lives a very prominent life whereby it can easily be seen chasing other honeyeaters and is very vocal. However, the little friarbird is usually spotted high up"
"Feathertail glider The feathertail glider (""Acrobates pygmaeus""), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding mammal and is named for its long feather-shaped tail. At just in head-and-body length and weighing about , the feathertail glider is only around the size of a small mouse, and is the world's smallest gliding mammal. The fur is soft and silky, and is a uniform greyish brown on the upper body, and white on the underside. There are rings of"