Patagona gigas
The Giant Hummingbird, *Patagona gigas*, lives up to its name as the largest member of the hummingbird family (Trochilidae), spanning an impressive 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) in length and weighing 18-24 grams (0.6-0.8 ounces). Its substantial size immediately distinguishes it from its smaller relatives, alongside its proportionately long, black bill and remarkably slow, deliberate wingbeats. Plumage is generally dull greenish-brown on the back, contrasting with a whitish underbelly and a strikin...
Found in high-altitude arid and semi-arid scrublands, puna grasslands, open montane woodlands, and agricultural areas with flowering plants, typically at elevations of 2,000 to 4,500 meters.
Feeds predominantly on nectar from large, tubular flowers, especially those of cacti, Puya, and Agave species, and supplements this with small insects caught in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Primarily diurnal, the Giant Hummingbird forages throughout the day, often perching prominently before resuming its rounds, and roosts solitarily in sheltered vegetation. It employs a trapline feeding strategy, visiting a regular circuit of flowering plants for nectar, supplementing this with haw...
The Giant Hummingbird's range extends along the Andes Mountains, from southern Colombia and Ecuador, through Peru and Bolivia, to northern and central Chile, and west-central Argentina. Its distribution is largely contiguous, with two recognized subspecies: *Patagona gigas gigas* inhabiting centr...
Least Concern
- The Giant Hummingbird is, as its name suggests, the largest hummingbird in the world, often reaching lengths comparable to a small thrush. - Despite its size, it maintains the characteristic rapid wingbeat of hummingbirds, though its 10-15 beats per second are the slowest among all hummingbird ...