Chaetocercus mulsant
The White-bellied Woodstar (*Chaetocercus mulsant*) is a diminutive and dazzling hummingbird, measuring just 7-8 cm (2.7-3.1 in) in length and weighing a mere 2.5-3.0 grams. Males are instantly recognizable by their iridescent grass-green upperparts, a brilliant purplish-red gorget that flares into a short 'beard' on the throat sides, a crisp white post-ocular stripe, and pristine white underparts, complemented by a short, straight black bill. Females, while sharing the green upperparts and w...
Found in high-altitude montane cloud forests, forest edges, shrubby clearings, and secondary growth, primarily at elevations between 1,000 and 3,000 meters (occasionally higher).
Feeds primarily on nectar from a variety of small, often tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for essential protein.
Highly active and strictly diurnal, the White-bellied Woodstar dedicates its days to energetically foraging, often employing a 'trap-lining' strategy, visiting a regular circuit of favored nectar sources. Males are intensely territorial, fiercely defending prime feeding patches from rival humming...
The White-bellied Woodstar is an endemic resident of the Andes Mountains in South America, boasting a substantial distribution across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern Bolivia. In Colombia, it is commonly found along both the central and eastern cordilleras, while its range extends southward ...
Least Concern
- The White-bellied Woodstar is one of the smallest bird species in its vast Andean range, often weighing less than a single U.S. penny. - Its wings beat at an astonishing rate, estimated to be over 80 times per second, generating its characteristic high-pitched buzz during flight. - Males boast ...