Introduction
The Bumblebee Hummingbird (Selasphorus heloisa) is a tiny hummingbird endemic to Mexico. It inhabits mountain forests and humid scrub, where its compact body, rapid flight and insect-like wing buzz help it move between flowering plants. The species is also known as Heloise’s Hummingbird in some references.
Physical Description
The Bumblebee Hummingbird is approximately 6 to 7.5 centimetres long and weighs about 2 grams. It has a short, straight, blackish bill, a compact body, a relatively short tail and a small white spot behind the eye.
Adult males have metallic bronze-green upperparts, pale underparts, cinnamon-toned flanks and a vivid magenta to purplish gorget. The elongated feathers at the sides of the gorget can flare during display. Females lack the brilliant gorget and have a pale throat marked with metallic green spots, together with more noticeable cinnamon colouring on the flanks and undertail area.
Juveniles and immature males resemble females until the male gorget develops. Plumage varies between the two recognised subspecies, with S. h. margarethae generally smaller and paler than the nominate form.
Range and Habitat
The Bumblebee Hummingbird is endemic to Mexico. Its range includes parts of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The nominate subspecies occurs from the north-eastern and central highlands south to Guerrero and Oaxaca, while S. h. margarethae occurs in parts of north-western and western Mexico, including areas from Chihuahua and Sinaloa towards Jalisco.
It favours semi-humid to humid pine-oak forest, evergreen montane forest, cloud forest, forest edges, clearings and humid scrub. It is most often associated with upland habitats, commonly between about 1,500 and 3,000 metres, although records occur outside this range.
The species is generally resident, but seasonal movements between different elevations and forest types have been documented or suggested, probably in response to flowering and local food availability.
Where to See This Species
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, State of Mexico and Puebla, Mexico
The park’s high-elevation pine and pine-oak habitats support a recorded population of Bumblebee Hummingbirds. Look along forest edges, clearings and flowering areas, particularly where montane vegetation remains intact. The species can be difficult to locate because of its small size and rapid flight.
Nearby accommodation: Amecameca is a practical gateway with hotels, guest houses and self-catering accommodation. Access conditions and permitted routes should be checked locally before visiting.
Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco and Colima, Mexico
Bumblebee Hummingbirds have been recorded in this extensive protected mountain landscape, which contains pine-oak forest, cloud forest and other upland habitats suitable for the species. Forest tracks, clearings and flowering patches are the most promising places to search, although sightings are not guaranteed.
Nearby accommodation: Autlán de Navarro and El Grullo provide the main nearby accommodation bases, including hotels, guest houses and self-catering options.
Sierra de San Juan Biosphere Reserve, Nayarit, Mexico
The reserve’s montane forest and humid upland vegetation provide suitable habitat, and Bumblebee Hummingbird is included among the birds recorded there. Search quietly along forest edges and flowering clearings, especially during periods of high floral activity.
Nearby accommodation: Tepic is the most practical accommodation centre, with hotels, guest houses and other visitor facilities, while smaller settlements nearer the reserve may offer basic lodging.
Behaviour and Diet
The Bumblebee Hummingbird feeds mainly on nectar from flowering plants and supplements this diet with small insects and spiders. Insects provide important protein, particularly during breeding. Like other hummingbirds, it can hover while feeding and may visit flowers at several heights within the vegetation.
It is usually solitary. Males may defend feeding territories and chase intruding hummingbirds or other small flying animals. The wings produce a noticeable buzzing sound, especially during rapid flight and courtship displays.
Breeding information remains limited compared with that of better-studied hummingbirds. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest using soft plant material, moss, lichens and spider silk. She alone incubates the eggs and feeds the young. Two eggs are generally reported, but precise incubation and fledging periods for this species are not well established. Breeding activity has been recorded at different times in different parts of Mexico, including late winter and spring.
Identification Tips
- Look for a very small, compact hummingbird with a short bill and short tail.
- Adult males show a striking magenta or purplish gorget, bronze-green upperparts, pale underparts and cinnamon flanks.
- Females and immature birds have a pale, spotted throat rather than a bright gorget, with green upperparts and rufous or cinnamon tones on the flanks and tail.
- The white spot behind the eye and the compact shape are useful clues.
- Compared with the larger Broad-tailed Hummingbird, the Bumblebee Hummingbird has a shorter tail and a much smaller overall appearance. Females and immature birds can be difficult to separate from other small Selasphorus hummingbirds without a clear view of the tail, flanks and throat pattern.
Conservation Status
The Bumblebee Hummingbird is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Its population size has not been reliably quantified, but it has a broad distribution across Mexico and is not currently considered to face an immediate global extinction risk.
The species nevertheless depends on mountain forests and flowering vegetation that can be affected by logging, agricultural expansion, land-use change and habitat fragmentation. Protecting connected pine-oak, evergreen and cloud-forest habitats, while maintaining native flowering plants and monitoring local populations, remains important for its long-term security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Bumblebee Hummingbird live?
It is endemic to Mexico, where it lives mainly in upland pine-oak forest, evergreen forest, cloud forest, forest edges and humid scrub.
How small is the Bumblebee Hummingbird?
It is about 6 to 7.5 centimetres long and weighs approximately 2 grams, making it one of the smallest hummingbirds.
What does the Bumblebee Hummingbird eat?
It feeds primarily on nectar from flowers and also catches small insects and spiders for protein.
How can the male be identified?
The adult male has a vivid magenta to purplish gorget, bronze-green upperparts, pale underparts and cinnamon-toned flanks. Its compact body and short tail are also distinctive.
Is the Bumblebee Hummingbird migratory?
It is generally considered resident, although seasonal movements between elevations and different montane forest habitats may occur when food availability changes.
Is the Bumblebee Hummingbird endangered?
No. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern, although habitat loss and fragmentation in Mexico remain important local conservation concerns.
References
- IOC World Bird List
- Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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