10 of the World’s Smallest Birds

This species of storm petrel is significantly larger than the smallest birds from other continents, but the fact that it manages to breed at all in this harsh environment is a testament to nature’s resolve. It compensates for its small size by soaring through the troughs of waves — allowing it to migrate long distances despite its relatively weak capacity for flight.

Their travel patterns take them down the Atlantic — and they can be seen from the United States’ east coast all the way down to the most southern reaches of South America. Feeding primarily on crustaceans and small fish, this bird will simply hover over the waters and peck its beak at the surface until it manages to catch some prey.