Eulidia yarrellii
The Chilean Woodstar (Eulidia yarrellii) is a diminutive and highly distinctive hummingbird, measuring a mere 7-8 cm in length and weighing around 2.3 grams, making it the smallest hummingbird in Chile. Males are particularly striking with their brilliant iridescent violet gorget contrasting with a deep green back, a prominent white post-ocular stripe, and a deeply forked, dark tail. Females are less vibrant, exhibiting a greenish back, white underparts, and a pale throat. This monotypic genu...
Arid desert valleys and ravines, typically found near ephemeral streams or agricultural areas with native vegetation, from sea level up to approximately 2,000 meters elevation.
Primarily feeds on nectar from native flowering plants and cultivated crops, supplemented by small insects and arthropods caught in flight or gleaned from vegetation.
Chilean Woodstars are highly active during daylight hours, constantly flitting between flowers and perch sites, often retreating to dense thickets for roosting. They exhibit a characteristic foraging strategy of hovering gracefully before blossoms to extract nectar with their long, slender bills,...
The Chilean Woodstar possesses an exceptionally restricted and fragmented distribution, primarily confined to a few arid river valleys in northern Chile, specifically the Azapa, Lluta, and Vitor Valleys within the Arica and Parinacota Region. Historically, its range was slightly more extensive, b...
Critically Endangered
- The Chilean Woodstar is the smallest hummingbird species found in Chile, often weighing less than a penny (around 2.3 grams). - It is one of the smallest bird species globally, a true feathered marvel of miniature engineering. - This species is the sole member of its genus, *Eulidia*, represent...