hummingbirds
NEOTROPICAL Rainforest 

The hummingbirds of the South American and Central American Rainforest...

Family Trochilidae: Hummingbirds

There are over 350 species in this large family.

They are known as 'hummingbirds' because of the relatively loud humming sound from the beating of their wings. When I first heard it, I thought it was a growl from a predatory mammal! The smaller species can flap their wings up to 80 times a second.

Hummingbirds have long thin bills that are well adapted for their diet. They mostly drink nectar from flowers, although they also take insects and spiders to provide other nutrients. The lower bill fits tightly into the upper bill. The forked tongue is used to lap up nectar. It was presumed that the feeding worked by capillary action, however high speed filming has revealed it works through pump action. Tubes that run the length of the tongue open up and then close trapping nectar, which is then pulled back into beak. They spend about 10% of their time feeding, the rest of the time perching. They can detect the percentage of sugar in the nectar, and usually don't drink from flowers with less than 10% sugar in their nectar. They drink about half the body weight each day, more if the nectar has lower percentages of sugar ; that is like a human drinking 35 litres.

As far as known, only the females build the nests. These are are small and usually cup shaped, and constructed with the addition of lichens and spider silk to bind the material together, but also allow for expansion. The female usually lays two eggs.

---

This is a huge family of over 335 species, so I have split this page up into the many different genera.

Ramphodon 'Hermits', Eutoxers 'Sicklebill', Glaucis, Threnetes, Anopetia, 
Phaethornis, Androden, Doryfera, Phaechroa, Campylopterus 'Sabrewings', Aphantochroa, Eupetomena.

 Florisuga spp. 'Jacobins'

There are two species in this genus.

Florisuga mellivora, 'White-necked Jacobin'. Widespread in lowland forest Central and South America.

Colibri spp. 'Violet-ears'

The name 'Colibri' is Espanol for 'hummingbird'. There are five species. They are generally greenish, with colourful throat and ear patches, thus the common name.

Colibri coruscans, 'Sparkling Violetear'.

Anthracothorax, Avocettula, Topza, Eulampis, Chrysolampis, Orthoryhnchus, Klais, 

Styephanoxis, Abeillia, Lophornis, Discosura, Trochilus, Chlorostilbon 'Emeralds', 

Panterpe, Elvira, Eupherusa, Goethalsia, Goldmania, Cyanthus, Cyanophaia, Thalurania, 

Juliamyia, Lepidopyga, Hylocharis

Chrysuronia spp. 'Saphires'

There are 9 species in this genus.

Chrysuronia oenone, 'Golden-tailed Saphire'. Found in rainforest in northern South America and along the Andes.

Leucochloris, Polytmus, Leucippus, Taphrospilus

Amazilia spp.

There are 5 species in this genus.

Amazilia viridicauda, 'Green and White Hummingbird'.

Microchera, Anthocephala, Chalybura, Lampornis, Basilinna, Lamprolaima

Adelomyia spp.

This is the only species in this genus.

Adelomyia melanogenys, 'Speckled Hummingbird'. Widespread in the mountain rainforests of South America.

Phlogophilus, Clytolaema

Heliodox spp. 'Brilliants'

There are 9 species in this genus.

Heliodoxa leadbeateri, 'Violet-fronted Brilliant'.

Eugenes, Hylonympha, Sternoclyta, Urochroa, Boissonneaua

Aglaectis sp. 'Sunbeams'

There are 4 species in this genus.

Aglaeactis cupripennis, 'Shining Sunbeam'. Found in montane rainforest and shrubland in the Andes.

Oreotrochilus, Lafresnaya

Coeligena spp.'Incas'

There are about a dozen species in this genus.

Coeligena torquata, 'Collared Inca'. Lives in mountain rainforest of South America.

Ensifera sp.

There is only one species in this genus.

Ensifera ensifera, 'Sword-billed Hummingbird'.  As suggested by the name, the bill is very long; the only bird that has a bill longer than it's body. It looks absurd, and the bird can not preen with it's own bill like most birds, but must use it's feet. When it perches, it is usually with the bill pointing upwards. They mostly feed on the nectar from flowers in the genera Datura and Passiflora, especially 'Curuba' Passiflora mixta, which it is thought to have co-evolved with. The bird is found in montane forest and shrublands in the Andes. 

Pterpophanes spp.

Patagona sp. 

There is only one species in this genus.

Patagona gigas, 'Giant Hummingbird'. Plain brown with rufous underbelly. As the names suggests, this is the largest of all hummingbirds; it is about the size of an European Starling, but is much lighter. It is found on the edge of the montane forest and in shrublands in the Andes.

Sephanoides spp.

Heliangelus spp. 'Sunangels'

There are 10 species in this genus.

Heliangelus amethysticollis, 'Amethyst-throated Sunangel'. Found in mountain rainforest.

Heliangelus strophianus, 'Gorgeted Sunangel'. Found in rainforest on western slopes of Andes, Ecuador and Columbia.

Eriocnemis, Haplophaedia, Urosticte

Ocreatus spp. 'Booted Racket-tails'

There are (probably) 4 species in this genus.

Ocreatus addae, 'Rufous-Booted Racket-tail'.

Ocreatus underwoodii, 'White-Booted Racket-tail'.

Lesbia, Sappho, Polyonymus, Ramphomicron, Oreonympha, Oxypogon

Metallura spp., 'Metaltails'

Metallura (aeneocauda or williami), '(Scaled or Viridian) Metaltail'. Found in high altitude cloud 'elfin' forest. In males, throat is black-green depending on angle. Scaly breast and white patch behind eye.

Chalcostigma, Opisthoprora, Taphrolesbia

Aglaiocercus spp. 'Slyphs'

 Only the males have the longer tails, as this would be impractical for nesting females.

Aglaiocercus kingii, 'Long-tailed Sylph'.. Often seen at feeders. Found in mountain rainforest and edge in Andes.

Aglaiocercus coelestis, 'Violet-tailed Sylph'.  Visits feeders. Found in mountain rainforest of the Andes.

Augastes, Schistes, Heliothyrax, Heliactin, Loddigesia, Heliomaster, Rhodopsis, Thaumastura, Tilmatura, Doricha

Calliphlox spp. 'Woodstars'

There are four species in this distinctive genus. They are small (even for hummingbirds) and fly like giant bumblebees.

Calliphlox mitchellii, 'Purple-throated Woodstar'. Found only in rainforest on west slopes of the Andes (and a small spot in Panama).

Microstilbon, Calothorax, Mellisuga, Archilochus, Calypte, Atthis, Myrtis, Eulidia, Myrmia, Chaetocercus, Selasphorus

Back to the page on the tropical South & Central American rainforest

---

Search google and this website: