one inch small brown humming bird in edgewater

[brad]

I have been seeing a one inch brown humming bird feeding on a palm bloom and a bouganvilla in our yard and wonder what species he is?  This is a bird for certain and not a moth, ive been able to get very close

[Joe M]

Brad,
The smallest hummingbird is 2-2 1/2 inches in length (Bee Hummingbird), a resident of Cuba and never reported in FL or elsewhere in the US.
I'm fairly certain you have observed a sphinx moth which has often been mistaken for a hummingbird.
Another clue is that you approached very closely which would not be the case if it were a hummer.
Joe M.
Sturbridge, MA (Lakeland, FL)

[mvbartow]

I watched a sphinx moth all evening until I saw what it really was. South Alturas.

[Steve E xley]

Hi Brad
I totally agree I was on vacation from U.K last summer and saw the same as you on our flowers it was a humming bird for sure not a moth I had seen it twice before but only fleeting glances but this time myself
and my wife got a real good look it was a humming bird
the siting was at Crescent lakes near Kissimmee
Regards
Steve and Jean Exley

[Wanda]

I too have seen these hummingbirds. They fly past my ear with a buz and then feed on the flowers just inches from my hand at dusk for the past three nights. I'll try to get a photo.

[Wanda]

Brad, in North Carolina the hummingbirds fly right up to my when sitting on the deck. I find them very approachable and bold

[Tara]

Hi,

I think it was this type discussed above that I saw in New Tampa, FL. I have seen it 3 different days now. It is drawn the butterfly plant that is long and wispy with purple flowers. It is so exciting!!!!!! I wish I knew what kind it is and how to attract it more.

[Stephanie]

I have 2 in my yard every night after dusk. I live in north central Florida. They are a 2 tone brown and their actual body is about the size of a pencil top erasure. With the wings they may be the width of a business card. They have been showing up for about 5 years at the same time of year and same time of day. They get close so I know it is not a moth. They aren't even afraid of the yard cats. Crazy.

[Ronni]

I work in Humble TX. I work outside very early in the morning. Just before sunrise a very small brown inch size humming bird comes out to feast on all the flowers we have. I have seen this little bird for a few years now. The little bird gets so close it has very little fear of me and it gets very close. I have seen tail feathers and a real bird wings. This little bird is not over an inch big. But it is very beautiful and amazing to watch. R.

[Joe M]

Sept 11, 2018 9:26:05 GMT -5 Ronni said:

I work in Humble TX. I work outside very early in the morning. Just before sunrise a very small brown inch size humming bird comes out to feast on all the flowers we have. I have seen this little bird for a few years now. The little bird gets so close it has very little fear of me and it gets very close. I have seen tail feathers and a real bird wings. This little bird is not over an inch big. But it is very beautiful and amazing to watch. R.

I'm certain you have described a "hummingbird moth". Easily misidentified as a hummingbird. The smallest hummingbird is the Bee Hummingbird which is 2 1/2" so if your accurate about the size it can't be a hummingbird.
Check the net for "hummingbird moth" and I believe you will agree?

[chris]

I looked up a "hummingbird moth" because I observed 2 just this evening what everyone else is talking about above. I stood outside at dusk watching them for 20 minutes. The only difference I observed (which no one else mentioned) is when a 2nd one of these one-inch high birds approached, my son & I heard it "tweet". Can a moth do that?

[Joe M]

Sept 15, 2018 19:30:13 GMT -5 chris said:

I looked up a "hummingbird moth" because I observed 2 just this evening what everyone else is talking about above. I stood outside at dusk watching them for 20 minutes. The only difference I observed (which no one else mentioned) is when a 2nd one of these one-inch high birds approached, my son & I heard it "tweet". Can a moth do that?

Moths do not "tweet" or "chip" . By the same token, hummingbirds in North America are three times larger than the 1" size you mentioned.
Without a photo or further evidence it's difficult to ascertain what your observing?

[chris]

I will definitely try to get some pictures/video. We took a video but it was poor quality with the lighting.......

[Randy from S.C.]

Sept 18, 2018 18:57:18 GMT -5 chris said:

I will definitely try to get some pictures/video. We took a video but it was poor quality with the lighting.......

We're seeing these for the 1st time where I live (Greenwood S.C.). The wife and I would have sworn they were baby hummingbirds, very quick with a buzz. Finally had one land and wah-lah Hummingbird Moth.

[Alexa Jessee]

I have seen that very hummingbird in South Tampa. I have videos of it but am unable to attach them to this site. If you play these videos in slow motion you will see that is indeed a hummingbird

[Deborah M. in NC]

I have a Mamosa tree in my side yard. I started seeing this very fast but small bird. It was so small I originally thought it was a large insect. I was so intrigued that I put out a humming bird feeder on a bishops hook next to the tree. In the mornings I could here it tweet. When I went out I could here it buzzing, but it was so fast I could not see it. Then finally this week I saw it hovering at the feeder. Definitely a small hummingbird, later it sat on part of the hook. Such a small black hummingbird. So beautiful, I can't find any info on it. I have read all the others, which is why I am writing, because I have seen it too!

[ana]

Could anyone that see this little dark colored animals post a picture? I'd love to see one, everything I've ready indicates that the smallest hummer is over 50mm that's a couple of inches.

[Paul]

I just saw 2 of them in my bottle brush tree.  Definitely  a tiny humming bird and not a moth.

[Star7337]

I saw one at Epcot in Walt Disney World while I was sitting by some flowers between countries. It was a hummingbird and I, too, originally thought it was a bug. It is tiny. I had never seen anything like it and i have fed hummingbirds for years. I wish I had pictures but they are fast.

[Karyn]

I’ve seen these tiny brown hummingbirds for almost 10 years now. Originally I spied them in my yard in Lakeland. They seemed to really be attracted to purple porterweed and Penta’s. I have relocated to Brevard county in eastern coastal central florida and observed them in my yard here as well. I have purple porterweed here also, but I have also found them whizzing around the confederate jasmine. The are obviously not insects, but birds. Very tiny, maybe 1-1.5 inch and super fast. No white or ruby marks. They dart and flit like other hummingbirds. I’m glad to learn others in central florida have observed them as well. They need a name!

[Joe M]

For too many years we continue to have hummingbirds reported as being 1 inch in size.. They are very small birds but it's apparent that folks tend to exaggerate their small size. Problem is that when one person makes the statement others chime in and the myth is perpetuated.
No one can cite a professional publication that supports any North America hummingbird species as being 1 inch in size since they don't exist. Sorry for the bad news folks, we still haven't found a new hummingbird species of that size. Some are just off the mark in estimating size and others are seeing sphinx moths.

[Jeff]

I witnessed one of these while visiting the Marianna, FL cemetery way back in 1979. It does resemble a brown moth, it maneuvers like a hummingbird, has a distinct 'lamellae', and makes a quick chip-chip-chip sound. It is indeed a bird, not a moth, bee or other type of insect. I took a close-up photo of it using a disposable Kodak camera. My father ascribed it as a "baby-hummingbird." I now wish I knew where I misplaced that photo.

[Joe M]

Aug 24, 2013 6:43:28 GMT -5 brad said:

I have been seeing a one inch brown humming bird feeding on a palm bloom and a bouganvilla in our yard and wonder what species he is?  This is a bird for certain and not a moth, ive been able to get very close

Brad, if you do a search you will find that there are "no" hummingbirds that are as small as 1" in size. My suspicion is that you are seeing a carpenter bee ! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee

[Peggyray]

Sept 14, 2020 19:49:27 GMT -5 Jeff said:

I witnessed one of these while visiting the Marianna, FL cemetery way back in 1979. It does resemble a brown moth, it maneuvers like a hummingbird, has a distinct 'lamellae', and makes a quick chip-chip-chip sound. It is indeed a bird, not a moth, bee or other type of insect. I took a close-up photo of it using a disposable Kodak camera. My father ascribed it as a "baby-hummingbird." I now wish I knew where I misplaced that photo.

[Peggyray]

I live in north central florida. They are birds for sure. They come to my humming bird feeder. They do tweet! I thought i was seeing things! They r very tiny about1 1/2 in!

[Joe M]

Oct 23, 2020 9:25:10 GMT -5 Peggyray said:

I live in north central florida. They are birds for sure. They come to my humming bird feeder. They do tweet! I thought i was seeing things! They r very tiny about1 1/2 in!

Please, do you expect us to believe that there are birds as small as 1/2 inch? If you take a photo of it we can talk about it but you are probably seeing a "carpenter" bee which feeds on nectar from flowers!
Any hummingbirds you see in FL will be at least 2 1/2 inches.
Thanks,

[Adam]

Nov 9, 2013 22:49:10 GMT -5 Wanda said:

Brad, in North Carolina the hummingbirds fly right up to my when sitting on the deck. I find them very approachable and bold

I was pulling weeds amongst red four0clocks when a one buzzed my ear.
I swatted at it thinking it was a junebug but upon turning my head found myself looking square into a hovering bird less than a foot from my face.
I would say two inches is an exaggeration as it looked about the size of a quarter.
They are definitely living in Central Florida just south of Ocala.

[Sherrie]

Last year I was sitting in my car next to a fence with purple bougainvilla growing on it. There were SIX big bees. Then I realized they were birds! It was just about nightfall. The next night my husband and I both sat in the car waiting for them. We only saw three. They were gone after that evening. Definitely birds. I would describe them as being brown - but it was nearly dark outside so couldn't see markings. They were definitely small. We live in College Park in downtown Orlando, Florida.

[Joe M]

May 3, 2021 16:07:33 GMT -5 Sherrie said:

Last year I was sitting in my car next to a fence with purple bougainvilla growing on it. There were SIX big bees. Then I realized they were birds! It was just about nightfall. The next night my husband and I both sat in the car waiting for them. We only saw three. They were gone after that evening. Definitely birds. I would describe them as being brown - but it was nearly dark outside so couldn't see markings. They were definitely small. We live in College Park in downtown Orlando, Florida.

Sorry to say Sherrie but you and your husband most certainly observed a species of moths that do resemble Hummingbirds and often called "Hummingbird Moths". An internet search for "Sphinx Moths" will usually provide photo's and descriptive text explaining why they are often misidentified as Hummingbirds. Once you have seen true hummingbirds you most certainly will immediately recognize the differences. Thanks for the opportunity to pass along this information to others who will invariably make the same identification error in the future.

[Joe M]

Jun 19, 2020 14:59:21 GMT -5 Joe M said:

For too many years we continue to have hummingbirds reported as being 1 inch in size.. They are very small birds but it's apparent that folks tend to exaggerate their small size. Problem is that when one person makes the statement others chime in and the myth is perpetuated.
No one can cite a professional publication that supports any North America hummingbird species as being 1 inch in size since they don't exist. Sorry for the bad news folks, we still haven't found a new hummingbird species of that size. Some are just off the mark in estimating size and others are seeing sphinx moths.

Wanted to mention that if it's not a sphinx month the second most likely suspect would be a bee! A "carpenter bee" and I caught a glimpse of one and was able to get a photo. Note that the bee has no tale feathers!