A Smith's Parish family found the tiny creature hovering in their garage yesterday morning.

Mount St. Agnes Academy student Andrew Tavares said: "I went in to get my bike to go to school and saw this tiny yellow bird with a black back.'' His mother, Thoebe, said: "It was very pretty, but so small. When it heard us it flew towards the window, waited for a split second and then took off.'' Wildlife artist and bird spotter Eric Amos said sightings on the Island were rare.

He explained: "We get one or two every year. They are ruby-throated hummingbirds.

"They fly from Canada to Mexico and central America for the winter, but they are only two and half inches long.

"It's mindboggling when you think about it that such a tiny bird can fly across an ocean.

He explained that the hummingbirds arrive by mistake after getting blown from their course which takes several weeks to complete.

But once here they find rich pickings.

He said: "Hummingbirds have very long bills for sucking nectar from flowers.

"There are all sorts of flowers here for them and they can also eat insects.

"Their wings beat incredibly fast so refuelling is welcome. They might stay for a couple of weeks to build back up.'' He said the public usually spotted them accurately as their movement was so distinctive.

He said: "It's the sort of bird that people who aren't experts will notice because it can go backwards as it flys.''