Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
is Midget Flowerpecker smaller than Pygmy Flowerpecker? Love the name, and wondered if it too should be on the list.
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Top 10 Smallest Birds in the World ? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter ALI123XYZ
- Start date
If you look at Ernst Mayr's Bird of the Southwest Pacific (1945), Dicaeum aeneum is known simply as Midget!
The best source for bird weights in Dunning's CRC Handbook of Avian Body masses (2nd ed, 2008). He gives a mean of 5 g for Pygmy Flowepecker, and 9.0 for Midget.
Hummingbird weights from Dunning:
Peruvian Sheartail mean = 1.9 g (N=3)
Bee Hummingbird,= 2.2 g (N= 4)
Bumblebee Hummingbird 2.2 g (15)
Golden-crowned Emerald 2.2 g (2)
Scintillant Hummingbird 2.2 g (39)
Tufted Coquette 2.3 g (11)
Purple-collared Woodstar 2.3 g (3)
Dot-eared Coquette 2.4 g (1)
Reddish Hermit 2.4 g (13)
Vervain Hummingbird 2.4 g; (6)
Andy
Indeed, volume, the best "size" measure of all! And nowadays, with modern 3D imaging techniques, probably not even all that difficult to calculate. No more drowning birds in tubs of water and measuring the displacement.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
agree with the volume thing (without the drowning) :t:
small/big = volume
light/heavy = weight
short/long = length
what are the least voluminous birds on the planet, that's what I wanna know
small/big = volume
light/heavy = weight
short/long = length
what are the least voluminous birds on the planet, that's what I wanna know
dantheman
Bah humbug
Indeed, volume, the best "size" measure of all! And nowadays, with modern 3D imaging techniques, probably not even all that difficult to calculate. No more drowning birds in tubs of water and measuring the displacement.
but is the volume different when the feathers are puffed out? I suppose if its possible to work out the area under a curve in mathematics using calculus, then there is bound to be a formula for working out the volume of a 3D object, just don't ask me for it:eek!:
dantheman
Bah humbug
Well, I'm now a convert. Birds should certainly be measured by volume. But should we use metric or imperial? There would of course be a certain charm in using fluid ounces and pints, or even gallons for the larger species such as swans and eagles (should that be US or UK gallons?), but I guess we should really use ml and litres (aka liters) if we are to be more inclusive and modern, or dare I say it, fully scientific.
As Andy points out, trapped air could be a problem. Dunking for a suitable length of time would of course be a solution*, but since we don't wish the subjects to expire (I assume), I imagine some kind of breathing tube apparatus should be used? Very much looking forward to the next generation of field guides including volumes, pulse rates and average distance covered.
*(The solution is the solution?)
(Apologies to the OP for being such a helpful lot... )
As Andy points out, trapped air could be a problem. Dunking for a suitable length of time would of course be a solution*, but since we don't wish the subjects to expire (I assume), I imagine some kind of breathing tube apparatus should be used? Very much looking forward to the next generation of field guides including volumes, pulse rates and average distance covered.
*(The solution is the solution?)
(Apologies to the OP for being such a helpful lot... )
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Dan you're not angling for efficency league tables for birds? Then again, we could put more capital investment into preserving the "greener" species as they will head the tables... but the bird "fuel" industry would be lobbying for the less efficient and be backed by Government.
Sorry for wandering off topic, well not really, but I thought I'd be polite.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
And should be used to measure volume, eg:- "How big's that sofa you want us to shift mate?" "Nine-hundred and seventy-six un-fluffed-up Temminck's Horned Larks bruv. Do you think it'll fit in the van?"
ALI123XYZ
Well-known member
So do you think that all official authorities out there are wrong when they declared bee hummingbird as a smallest living bird ?
ALI123XYZ
Well-known member
Maybe they have only measured length of a bird but not weight, as every where Vervain Hummingbird is considered as second smallest bird alive.
No, I don't, your point being. . .??
ALI123XYZ
Well-known member
@Kratter
Hummingbird weights from Dunning:
Peruvian Sheartail mean = 1.9 g (N=3)
Bee Hummingbird,= 2.2 g (N= 4)
Allen S. Moore
Well-known member
Does it matter? Surely what is more important is how secure the species' populations and habitats are, or is this thread just a bit of trivia?
ALI123XYZ
Well-known member
Yes.
“In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.”
Didn't liked thread? Then (respectfully) dont post your contributions like this. Simple!
Oh, sorry, I had forgotten Kratter's list. On that basis, if I had to choose, I would say the Peruvian Sheartail is the "smaller" of the 2 because, as I've already mentioned, I think weight is a more sensible criterion of size in this context than length.
But, okay, I understand, you have no interest in definitions and measurement criteria and other complexities, but just want to compile a simple list of the world's shortest birds. A very modest ambition IMO but if it floats your boat go for it!
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
But from del Hoyo, Handbook of the Birds of the World:
Bee Hummingbird = 1.6-1.9 g
Peruvian Sheartail = 2.0-2.5 g
A lot will also depend on when the birds are weighed; at dawn before feeding, they'll be quite a lot lighter than at dusk after the day's feeding. With migratory species, changes become even more marked; some birds can use up half or more of their weight on a long non-stop flight.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Aka a shortlist ...
Chris D
Well-known member
There's 5 more like the Rifleman in New Zealand. Black-capped Pygmy Tyrant (6.5) cm. Short - tailed Pygmy Tyrant - .15 oz. Smallest Passerine on earth. (both Neo Tropical). Wren Babblers. White-bellied Wren. All good stuff. Under-appreciated. Almost micro-mammalian in some ways. Little balls of feathers. I can only imagine flightless Island forms that went extinct. I love hummers - but tiny Pygmy Tyrants blew my mind the first time I saw them. As have others similar.
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