We review the published information on postnatal growth rates of hummingbirds (13 species), and report previously unpublished records for nine additional trochilid species. The allometric relationship based on the log₁₀-transformed data of K (logistic growth rate constant) and body mass has a slope of −0.313 and an intercept of −0.346 (n = 22; r² = 0.18; P = 0.049). The allometric relationship has a slope of −0.366 and an intercept of −0.327 (n = 20; r² = 0.30; P = 0.013) if the two Nearctic records are excluded. Visual inspection suggests that higher K-values occur in Nearctic hummingbirds (x̄ = 0.422; n = 2) compared to Neotropic species (x̄ = 0.269; n = 20). We suggest a revival of studies collecting basic life history information such as postnatal growth rates of birds, especially of tropical taxa.