A Hummingbird Familiar

I wanted a hummingbird familiar for my halfling. After researching hummingbirds and the other tiny animals in the monster manual, I came up with these stats:

Hummingbird Familiar: CR —; Fine magical beast; HD 1; hp 1/2 master’s; Init +4; Spd 5 ft., fly 30 ft. (near perfect); AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 23; Base Atk +0; Grp –22; Atk --, Full Atk --; Space/Reach 1/2ft./0 ft.; SA —; SQ improved evasion, granted abilities; AL any; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 1, Dex 20, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6.

Skills and Feats: Hide +22, Listen +8, Spot +6, Alertness, Uncanny Dodge
Master gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks


Table 2–1: Maneuverability
Hummingbird (near perfect)
Minimum forward speed None
Hover Yes
Move backward Yes
Reverse Free
Turn Any
Turn in place Any
Maximum turn Any
Up angle Any
Up speed Half
Down angle Any
Down speed Double
Between down and up 0

Dragon #323 recommended using the stats for a Thrush to apply to a hummingbird, but those stats do not appear accurate for the nature of a hummingbird. I have created the above stats based on my personal knowledge of the birds. The most noticeable differences between hummingbirds and other birds are their movement ability and the noise they make. Hummingbirds can hover, turn in place, fly backwards and even upside down. Unlike most other birds, hummingbirds are not silent when you are within a few feet of them because the buzzing caused by the wings is very similar to the hum of a bee (hence, their name). They have high metabolisms and huge appetites for their small size, requiring about 75 times more calories per day than a human with a similar body weight would. Sizes range from 2 to 8 inches, and weight from .05 ounces to .8 ounces.