Oreotrochilus stolzmanni
The Green-headed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus stolzmanni) is a striking medium-sized hummingbird endemic to the high Andes, measuring approximately 12-13 cm in length and weighing 8-9 grams. Males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant iridescent green head and gorget, contrasting sharply with a white breast bisected by a prominent dark central stripe, and dusky greenish-grey upperparts. Their tail is dark with contrasting white outer rectrices. Females lack the iridescent gorget, featuring...
Found exclusively in high-altitude Andean grasslands (puna, páramo), montane scrub, and rocky slopes, often associated with *Polylepis* woodlands, typically between 3,000 and 4,800 meters.
Primarily feeds on nectar from high-Andean flowering plants such as *Chuquiraga* and *Polylepis*, supplemented with small arthropods (insects and spiders) caught in flight.
Green-headed Hillstars are diurnal, highly territorial hummingbirds, often seen aggressively defending prime flower patches from conspecifics and other hummingbird species. They forage by hovering to extract nectar from specialized high-Andean flowering plants, also hawking for small insects and ...
The Green-headed Hillstar is an endemic resident of the high Andes in South America, primarily distributed across Ecuador and Peru. In Ecuador, its range extends from south-central provinces like Azuay and Loja. Further south, it is found throughout the Peruvian Andes, from Cajamarca in the north...
Least Concern
- The Green-headed Hillstar is one of the highest-dwelling hummingbird species, regularly found at elevations over 4,500 meters. - To cope with freezing temperatures, it can enter a state of torpor, drastically lowering its body temperature and metabolic rate during the night, sometimes reducing ...