Hummingbirds | Trochilidae

Kolibries | Colibríes

Hummingbirds are the largest bird family of the region, with 35 species, and occur only in the Americas. The Greater Antilles hold a large number of endemic species, among them the Bee Hummingbird of Cuba, at just over five centimetres and about two grams the smallest bird in the world, and the streamertails of Jamaica, whose male carries two greatly elongated tail feathers. In the Lesser Antilles the caribs and the Antillean Crested Hummingbird are common, while Trinidad and Tobago hold a range of mainland species, such as hermits. The wing turns almost entirely at the shoulder joint, so that the bird can hover and also fly backwards. Nectar is taken with a long tongue split at the tip, supplemented by small insects and spiders. The sheen of throat and crown comes from the structure of the feather and is visible only from certain angles. The female alone builds a small cup nest of plant down and spider silk and lays two white eggs.