Which is smaller: a hummingbird or a mouse? - briefly
A hummingbird is smaller, generally 3–5 inches long and weighing 2–6 grams, while a typical house mouse measures about 2–4 inches in body length and weighs 15–30 grams.
Which is smaller: a hummingbird or a mouse? - in detail
Hummingbirds are among the smallest avian species. The ruby‑throated hummingbird, representative of many North American species, measures 8–9 cm from bill tip to tail tip and weighs 2.5–4 g. Wing length ranges 5–6 cm, giving a wingspan of roughly 10–11 cm. Larger tropical hummingbirds reach up to 13 cm in length and 20 g in mass, but most remain well under 10 g.
Common house mice (Mus musculus) exhibit a body length of 7–10 cm, excluding the tail, which adds another 5–10 cm. Total length therefore spans 12–20 cm. Adult weight typically falls between 15 and 30 g, with occasional individuals reaching 40 g.
Comparative data:
- Body length: hummingbird 8–9 cm vs. mouse 7–10 cm (excluding tail)
- Total length: hummingbird ≤11 cm vs. mouse 12–20 cm
- Mass: hummingbird ≤4 g (most species) vs. mouse ≥15 g
The bird’s mass is consistently lower than that of the rodent, and its overall dimensions are shorter when tail length is excluded. Consequently, the avian species is the smaller organism in both weight and linear size.