Violetear

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Violetear
Colibri coruscans.jpg
Sparkling violetear, Colibri coruscans
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Subfamily: Polytminae
Genus: Colibri
Spix, 1824
Type species
Trochilus serrirostris
Vieillot, 1816
Species

5, see text

The violetears are hummingbirds of the genus Colibri. They are medium to large species found in Mexico, and Central and northern South America. The Mexican violetear occasionally wanders as far north as the United States and even Canada.

Violetears have ample rounded tails and short or medium black bills. Three of the four species have a mainly green plumage. The males have a violet blue patch running back and down from the eye, which is erected when they are excited, and a glittering throat patch. The female plumage is generally like the male's, but the ear and throat patches are smaller.

Violetears build substantial cup nests into which two white eggs are laid. They have loud persistent songs, often repetitions of double notes.

These birds come readily to artificial nectar feeders, and show no fear of humans. They are aggressively territorial, and at feeders or flowering shrubs they spend much time chasing other hummingbirds, rather than feeding.

Species

The genus contains five species: [1]

Genus Violetear Spix, 1824 – five species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Brown violetear

Brown Violet-ear (Colibri delphinae) (20089200003).jpg

Colibri delphinae
(Lesson, 1839)
Mexico to northern and western South America
Colibri delphinae map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Mexican violetear

Colibri cyanotus (33951679038).jpg

Colibri thalassinus
(Swainson, 1827)
Mexico to northwestern Nicaragua
Colibri thalassinus map 2.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Lesser violetear

Green Violet ear.jpg

Colibri cyanotus
(Bourcier, 1843)
Costa Rica, Panama, and the Andes (from Bolivia and northwards)
Colibri cyanotus map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Sparkling violetear

Sparkling Violet-ear.jpg

Colibri coruscans
(Gould, 1846)

Two subspecies
  • C. c. coruscans
  • C. c. germanus
The Andes (from Argentina and northwards)
Colibri coruscans map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


White-vented violetear

Colibri serrirostris-White-vented Violetear (Male).JPG

Colibri serrirostris
(Vieillot, 1816)
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay
Colibri serrirostris map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


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References

  1. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 January 2020.