Smaller male hummingbirds may have an advantage producing intense aerial displays

Males of some hummingbird species may have evolved to be smaller than their female counterparts because it allows them to put on more impressive courtship displays. Sexual dimorphism – where the sexes of an animal differ in size – is common across the tree of life. When dimorphism occurs in mammals and birds, the males are typically the larger sex. But not so in some species where the pattern is reversed. Subscribe ➤ Get more from New Scientist: Official website: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: LinkedIn: About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist