| Purple-throated woodstar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Philodice |
| Species: | P. mitchellii |
| Binomial name | |
| Philodice mitchellii (Bourcier, 1847) | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Calliphlox mitchellii | |
The purple-throated woodstar (Philodice mitchellii) is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. [3] [4]
The purple-throated woodstar is placed in genus Philodice by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the Clements taxonomy, and the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS). According to them, it shares the genus with the magenta-throated woodstar (P. bryantae). [3] [5] [6] However, the North American Classification Committee of AOS and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retain them in the older genus Calliphlox. [7] [4]
All the taxonomies agree that the purple-throated woodstar is monotypic.
The purple-throated woodstar is 6.8 to 7.5 cm (2.7 to 3.0 in) long and weighs 3.0 to 3.3 g (0.11 to 0.12 oz). Both sexes have a short, straight, black bill. Both have dusky bronze-green upperparts with a white patch on either side of the rump. The male has a small white spot behind the eye and the female a downward curved white line there. The male's gorget is shining violet-purple with a white band below it. Its lower breast is dusky bronze and the belly and flanks rufous. The forked tail is brownish purple. The female has a buffy white throat with dusky speckles at the side, a white band below it, a green lower breast, and a rufous belly. Its central tail feathers are bronze-green and the others cinnamon with a black band near the end. [8]
The purple-throated woodstar is found discontinuously in eastern Panama's Darién Province, along both slopes of Colombia's western Andes and south to central Ecuador, and in southern Ecuador. It inhabits the edges and interior of humid forest and cloudforest. In elevation in ranges from sea level to 2,400 m (7,900 ft) but is most numerous above 1,000 m (3,300 ft). [8]
At least in Colombia, the purple-throated woodstar breeds at higher elevations and moves to lower ones outside that season. [8]
The purple-throated woodstar forages for nectar high in flowering trees such as those of genera Cordia and Inga. Males defend feeding territories. In addition to feeding on nectar the species captures small arthropods by hawking from a perch. [8]
The purple-throated woodstar breeds between December and May in southwestern Colombia; its breeding season elsewhere has not been determined. It builds a tiny cup nest of fine fibers and spiderweb on a thick branch of a tall tree, typically 8 to 12 m (26 to 39 ft) above the ground. The female incubates the clutch of two eggs for 15 to 17 days; the time to fledging is not known. [8]
The purple-throated woodstar's song has not been described. Its calls include "a series of thin 'chit' notes" and "a squeaky 'kyee-kyee-kyee-kyee'." [8]
The IUCN has assessed the purple-throated woodstar as being of Least Concern. It has a restricted range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. [1] It is considered uncommon to locally common and appears to depend on native trees for nectar. It occurs in at least two protected areas in Colombia. [8]
The magenta-throated woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
The purple-bibbed whitetip is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
The shining sunbeam is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The amethyst woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay and has been recorded as a vagrant on Trinidad.
The gorgeted woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
The white-bellied woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The rufous-capped thornbill is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The golden-tailed sapphire is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The purple-throated sunangel is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.
The black-throated brilliant is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Humboldt's sapphire or Humboldt's hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
The rufous-throated sapphire is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, the Guianas, Peru, Venezuela and possibly Argentina and Paraguay.
The spangled coquette, coquette pailletée (French), coqueta coronada, or coqueta lentejuelada is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The purple-collared woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Ecuador and Peru.
The rufous-vented whitetip is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The Inagua woodstar, also called the lyre-tailed hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is endemic to the two islands of the Inagua district of the Bahamas.
The rufous-booted racket-tail is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia and Peru.
The white-throated daggerbill, white-throated wedgebill, or western wedge-billed hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
The green-backed hillstar, formerly included in the white-tailed hillstar, is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Mellisugini is one of the three tribes that make up the subfamily Trochilinae in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. The other two tribes in the subfamily are Lampornithini and Trochilini (emeralds).
