In the town of Pálpite, located on the outskirts of the wetland known as Ciénaga de Zapata in Matanzas, a couple turned their home into a sanctuary for the bee hummingbird, also known as the zunzuncito, the world's smallest bird, 20 years ago.
Bernabé Hernández and Juana Matos's garden became a refuge for this tiny bird that finds paradise in the shade of the mango, guava, and avocado trees, reported the Swissinfo news portal.
In that paradise, half a dozen of these hummingbirds flutter at full speed before the gaze of some tourists, who hurry to take photos of them.
While watching as two specimens pounced on a small suspended drinker, Hernández, a septuagenarian man from the countryside, expressed that they never get tired: "There is always something new to discover."
The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), endemic to Cuba and known as the smallest bird in the world, measures between 5 and 6 centimeters and weighs between 1.6 and 2.5 grams. In Cuba, it is called "zunzuncito," a diminutive of zunzún, a name that derives from the buzzing of its wings, which can reach up to 100 flaps per second while flying or hovering feeding on flowers.
The history of this garden, baptized as "The House of the Hummingbirds," began two decades ago. At that time, they had no intention of turning their house into an observatory.
After the cyclone Michelle destroyed his house, located in a spot in the Zapata Swamp, the largest wetland in the Caribbean, the regime assigned him a plot of land and materials to build a new home, this time in the village of Pálpite.
At the beginning, there were no birds, Hernández pointed out. Unaware that it would turn out to be very attractive to zunzunes, he decided to plant a ponasí, "so that it would provide shade to the house."
He soon noticed that several birds began to arrive. The wild bush Hamelia patens is famous for being able to captivate birds with its fruit.
This gentleman also did not know that this plant is among the favorites of the zunzuncito, also known in Cuba as hummingbird or fly bird.
Attracted by the sugary juice, the first sweet-toothed ones did not take long to appear, as they are fascinated by the nectar of the vermilion-colored flowers of the ponaí.
Hernández remembers: "When I saw a zunzun for the first time, I thought it was an insect." From that moment on, he decided to plant more ponasí bushes, known for blooming all year round.
Over time, these plants began to attract the hummingbirds that nest in the forest adjacent to the house.
The next step in building this sanctuary was to learn how to prepare the precise mixture of water and sugar that they pour into the feeders, as well as to clean them to prevent fungi. This knowledge came from the guides at the Ciénaga de Zapata Natural Park.
For Hernández, it is impossible to know how many hummingbirds visit his garden every day, as their energetic movement hinders counting them. However, he claims to see them throughout the year, which is a source of great joy, as it is the smallest bird in the world.
In addition to the zunzuncito, Hernandez's garden is also frequently visited by another slightly larger (10 cm) and more common species of hummingbird, called Ricord's Emerald (Riccordia ricordii).
According to Swissinfo, the sanctuary created by this Cuban couple in the Ciénaga de Zapata helps the Mellisuga helenae, a species classified as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population of this bird in Cuba is estimated between 22,000 and 66,000 individuals.
When one of these small birds decides to nest in a very visible place for humans, it is always a reason for joy to be able to witness the miracle of their existence.
Years ago, guests and workers at the Meliá Península Varadero Hotel experienced that excitement when, for the second consecutive year, a zunzún took over the lobby to nest.
On that occasion, the bird built its nest in a bush in the enclosure to protect its offspring.
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