The bee hummingbird, the smallest bird in the world, measures only 5-6 cm in length and is endemic to Cuba. Cubans refer to them as “zunzuncito”, a term that evokes the buzzing sound from their tiny wings, which can flap up to 100 times per minute.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that the population of this bird species is declining sharply and has disappeared from many areas due to deforestation.
A bee hummingbird (the smallest bird in the world) feeding in a sanctuary in Palpite, Cuba. (Source: AFP)
However, private gardens in Cuba are becoming a haven for this species, notably the garden of Bernabe Hernandez, a 75-year-old resident in Palpite, located in the southwestern part of the country.
The garden opened to tourists in 2003 and is now known as “the home of hummingbirds.”
Staff from the Cienaga de Zapata National Park, famous for its bird diversity with over 175 species, have assisted Hernandez in caring for and protecting these birds.
In addition to the bee hummingbird, the Cuban emerald—a larger hummingbird species measuring about 10 cm—also frequently visits Hernandez’s garden.
Bird research expert Orestes Martinez stated that the garden serves as an important sanctuary for the tiny hummingbirds, which the IUCN classifies as “near threatened,” with an estimated population of around 22,000 to 60,000 individuals.
