10 of the World’s Smallest Birds

The goldcrest may be the smallest bird in Europe, but the smallest bird in the world is the bee hummingbird. It is only 2 to 2.4 inches long (barely more substantial than a bee, hence its name) and weighs 0.056 to 0.071 ounces. That's less than the weight of a single penny. They make nests of cobwebs and lichen where they incubate eggs the size of peas. The bee hummingbird is native to Cuba and is rarely spotted on other nearby islands. Though it is a tiny miracle among birds, it is listed as near threatened due to habitat loss as forests transition to farmland.

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