Consider…the length of your pinky finger or a match—about 2.5”/6.5 cm. Now consider the weight of two pennies—5 grams or 0.17 oz.
But wait. That’s too heavy. Make it 4.2 grams / 0.14 oz.
Now, meet the smallest passerine bird in the world:
The Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant.
Almost tail-less, this itty-bitty insectivore made our day as it flitted around the branches.
Its song is a high-pitched buzz that sounds more insect-like than bird-like. Listen here.
Note: If you view these images on your computer (rather than your phone), the birds in the 2nd and 3rd photos are life-size.
This was the only one we saw. What wonderful good fortune!
Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant Myiornis ecaudatus
Cunhataí Porã Ecological Reserve, São José do Rio Claro, Mato Grosso, Brazil
September 20, 2025
Wow! Hard to imagine one so small!
Such an incredibly cool, and cute, bird!!!