Chlorestes julie
The Violet-bellied Hummingbird (*Chlorestes julie*) is a diminutive and dazzling Neotropical species, averaging just 8-9 cm (3.1-3.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 3-4 grams. Males are instantly recognizable by their iridescent emerald-green upperparts, brilliant violet belly, and a distinct white post-ocular spot behind the eye. Their tail is often coppery-bronze, moderately forked, or slightly emarginate, adding to their striking appearance. Females, while also green above, are dulle...
This species primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, forest edges, clearings, secondary growth, and coffee plantations, typically found from sea level up to 1,500 meters.
Their primary diet consists of nectar, extracted from a variety of flowering plants, supplemented by small arthropods caught in flight or gleaned from vegetation.
Violet-bellied Hummingbirds are highly active, diurnal birds, often seen foraging continuously throughout the day. Their foraging strategy primarily involves traplining, where they visit a fixed route of scattered flowers for nectar, but they also catch small insects in flight or glean them from ...
The Violet-bellied Hummingbird is a resident species found across a broad swathe of northern South America and adjacent Central America. Its distribution extends from eastern Panama, through northern and western Colombia, reaching into western Venezuela. Southward, its range continues through wes...
Least Concern
- The Violet-bellied Hummingbird can beat its wings at an astonishing rate, allowing it to hover stationary in mid-air. - Its dazzling violet belly, a key identification mark, changes color depending on the angle of light due to structural iridescence. - Like all hummingbirds, it possesses a rema...