What Are The Top 10 Smallest Birds In The world? + Their Images
Whilst we think bigger animals are more successful in wildlife, the small birds showed it isn’t necessarily the case.
You may think they are weak animals but they have been successful in finding hiding places, and a new source of feeding and need fewer sources for survival.
Have you ever wondered about the world’s smallest birds? Join us in this article to find out more about the top 10 smallest birds in the world.
➡ A podcast of this article has been provided for your listening pleasure:
| Common name | Scientific name | Family | Length
(Adult) |
Mass
(Adult) |
|
| 1 | Bee Hummingbird | Mellisuga helenae | Trochilidae | 5-6 cm | 1.7 grams |
| 2 | Costa’s Hummingbird | Calypte costae | Trochilidae | 8 cm | 3 grams |
| 3 | Weebill | Smicrornis brevirostris | Acanthizidae | 8 cm | 6 grams |
| 4 | Goldcrest | Regulus regulus | Regulidae | 9 cm | 5.7 grams |
| 5 | Simple Firecrest | Regulus ignicapilla | Regulidae | 9.3 cm | 5.5 grams |
| 6 | Pardalote | Pardalotus | Pardalotidae | 9.5 cm | 6 grams |
| 7 | Brown Gerygone | Gerygone mouki | Passeriformes | 10 cm | 6 grams |
| 8 | Verdin | Auriparus flaviceps | Remizidae | 9 – 11 cm | 6.8 g |
| 9 | Golden-headed cisticola | Cisticola exiles | Cisticolidae | 10 cm | 8 grams |
| 10 | Lesser Goldfinch | Spinus psaltria | Fringillidae | 9-12 cm | 8-12 grams |
1. Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)
the bee hummingbird owns the title of the world’s smallest bird (just 5 cm in length) and the world’s lightest bird (about 2 grams in weight). Its eggs are about the size of peas.
The bee hummingbird’s natural habitat is Cuba in the Caribbean. It feeds on nectar from flowers of Cuba’s coastal forests and its name is because of its specific behaviour during sucking the nectar of flowers.
Its conservation status is Near Threatened because its habitat is destroyed and its population is decreasing.
2. Costa’s Hummingbird(Calypte costae)
The Costa’s Hummingbird is native to the arid region and desert habitats of the southwest United States however this beautiful bird winters in western Mexico.
One of the most famous characteristics of The Costa’s hummingbird is its bright purple band across its head and neck.
Its food is nectar and insects. Its conservation status is the least concern because its population is stable.
3. Weebill (Smicrornis Brevirostris)
Weebill is native to Australia and its habitat is jungles, forests and wooded areas of this continent. John Gould identifies and describes it in 1838, and recognize four subspecies of it.
It is an insectivorous bird that feeds on larvae and small insects in eucalyptus-rich areas.
4. Goldcrest (Regulus Regulus)
This is native to Europe and known as the smallest bird on this continent.
Goldcrest have colourful golden crest feathers with a black and yellow stripe on its head however males have an orange centre too.
Hence, the meaning of its scientific name is the prince or little king and people believe it is the king of the birds.
Goldcrest feeds from the insects and its thin beak helps it for picking insects that hid between pine needles.
Its conservation status is the least concern however its population is decreasing.
5. Simple Firecrest (Regulus Ignicapilla)
The simple firecrest is native to Europe and northwestern Africa. it is a partially migratory bird that migrates from central Europe to the south and west.
Its appearance is similar to the kinglet family of birds with its yellowish tinge and a whitish fawn stripe above the eye.
Its food is insects and you may see them in autumn and winter when they are picking off small insects.
Its conservation status is the least concern because its population is stable.
6. Pardalote (Pardalotidae)
The pardalote is a native of Australia. This beautiful small bird has short tails, strong legs and stubby blunt beaks.
Its name is a Greek word and its mean is “spotted”. It is because that pardalote has bright patterned plumage. Hence it is very attractive with a plump look.
They feed on lerps and other native larvae in the eucalyptus trees. The small size of the pardalote lets it hunt its food in the small holes of trees.
Its Conservation status: because of urban development, its habitat is destroying and its population is in decline
7. Brown Gerygone(Gerygone Mouki)
The natural habitat of Brown Gerygone is the rainforest of the east coast of Australia.
This beautiful small bird is known as a brown warbler and gerygone mouki too. its upper parts are olive-brown or olive-grey and but other parts of its body are grey, cream, or washed-out brown.
The Brown Gerygones habit to live in small groups including three or four birds. Its conservation status is the least concern because its population is stable.
8. Verdin (Auriparus Flaviceps)
The verdin is native to North America, Mexico and the southern USA. Its natural habitat is shrubs and thorny thickets with few trees.
One of the wonderful things about this small bird is its ability in making a spherical nest by connecting bulky twigs and branches. This creative bird covers its nest with feathers, grass, and hair.
The verdin feeds from insects.
Conservation status: Least concern, because its population is increasing.
9. Golden-Headed Cisticola(Cisticola Exiles)
The golden-headed cisticola is native to South Asia and Australia and its natural habitat is grasslands and humid regions.
This beautiful small bird has also known as the bright-capped cisticola a wonderful thing about it can build its very tidy nest from spider threads and plants. hence its nickname is the “finest tailor of all birds”.
The golden-headed cisticola is omnivorous hence it can feed from seeds, insects and small slugs.
Its Conservation status is the least concern because its population is increasing.
10. Lesser Goldfinch(Spinus Psaltria)
The natural habitat of this beautiful small bird is in North America, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands however lesser goldfinch can live in various regions with different heights.
Its size is about 10 centimetres with 10 grams weight.
Lesser Goldfinch is a sexually dimorphic bird and the colour of males and females is different. However, it is a monogamous bird.
Conclusion
In this article, you got familiar with the top 10 smallest birds in the world. They were including Bee Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird, Verdin, Brown Gerygone, Pardalote, Simple Firecrest, Goldcrest, Weebill, Costa’s Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird and Bee Hummingbird.
Have you ever seen them? Which one? if you want to list down the beautiful small birds, which one will be on top of the why list? Do you know a small bird that we didn’t mention above? please share your idea with our readers in the below.