Chaetocercus bombus
The Little Woodstar, *Chaetocercus bombus*, is a diminutive and dazzling hummingbird, measuring a mere 6-7 cm in length and weighing just 2-3 grams, making it one of the smallest avians on Earth. Males are instantly recognizable by their iridescent green back, contrasting white underparts, and a spectacular, shimmering purple-magenta gorget that extends into elongated side-plumes, complemented by a deeply forked, short tail with outer feathers much shorter than the inner ones. Females, while ...
This species inhabits humid to semi-humid forest edges, open woodlands, shrubby clearings, and plantations, typically at elevations between 1,000 and 2,000 meters, though recorded from 500 to 3,000 meters.
Primarily nectivorous, feeding on nectar from a variety of small, tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders gleaned from vegetation or caught in flight.
Little Woodstars are intensely active and largely solitary, foraging tirelessly throughout the day but becoming more inconspicuous during midday heat. Their foraging involves swift hovering to sip nectar from small, often inconspicuous flowers, and agile aerial hawking or gleaning for tiny insect...
The Little Woodstar is endemic to the Andes of South America, with a disjunct distribution primarily found in two main populations: southwestern Ecuador and northern Peru. In Ecuador, it is primarily found in the western Andes, from Bolívar south through El Oro and Loja provinces, with some recor...
Near Threatened
- The Little Woodstar is one of the world's smallest birds, often weighing less than a penny (typically 2-3 grams). - Males possess a spectacular purple-magenta gorget that flares out at the sides, used for attracting mates and defending territory. - Despite its tiny size, the male Little Woodsta...