Violetear
Sparkling violetear, Colibri coruscans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
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 name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Brown violetear

Colibri delphinae
(Lesson, 1839) 		Mexico to northern and western South America
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Mexican violetear

Colibri thalassinus
(Swainson, 1827) 		Mexico to northwestern Nicaragua
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Lesser violetear

Colibri cyanotus
(Bourcier, 1843) 		Costa Rica, Panama, and the Andes (from Bolivia and northwards)
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Sparkling violetear

Colibri coruscans
(Gould, 1846)

Two subspecies
  • C. c. coruscans
  • C. c. germanus
The Andes (from Argentina and northwards)
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


White-vented violetear

Colibri serrirostris
(Vieillot, 1816) 		Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


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.
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