White-vented Violetear
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Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Colibri serrirostris
- Spanish Name: Colibrí Ventriblanco
- Family: Trochilidae
- Known Nicknames: White-vented Violetear, Brazilian Violetear
- Average Length: 10–12 cm / 3.9–4.7 in
- Average Weight: 5–7 g / 0.18–0.25 oz
- Wingspan: N/A
- Key Feature: Violet ear patch and white vent (undertail coverts)
- Primary Diet: Nectarivore (primarily nectar), also small insects
- Range: Central and eastern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina
- Habitat: Open woodlands, savannas, gardens, and cerrado
- Social Structure: Solitary or loosely territorial
- Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest in shrubs or trees
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
- Population Trend: Stable
The White-vented Violetear (*Colibri serrirostris*) is a dazzling hummingbird found across central and eastern South America, renowned for its striking iridescence and distinctive vocalizations. Its general appearance features a predominantly green body with a glittering violet-blue patch on the ear coverts (the "violetear") and a contrasting white vent (under-tail area), which gives the species its common name. A unique characteristic is its deeply forked, steel-blue tail and a slightly decurved black bill, but its most special feature is the male's loud, metallic, chattering song—a sharp, repetitive "tsip-tsip-tsip" that often accompanies aggressive territorial displays. This species also stands out for its preference for open, semi-arid habitats like cerrado and scrubland, where it uses its agile flight to hover at flowers, feeding on nectar while occasionally hawking for insects, making it both a vibrant visual and auditory presence in its ecosystem.
Fun Facts
The White-vented Violetear is a master of aerial combat, fiercely defending flower patches by dive-bombing intruders with audible wing snaps. Its tongue, which can extend over twice the length of its bill, features forked, brush-like tips that rapidly lap up nectar through capillary action. As a quirky adaptation, males perform a unique “pendulum display” during courtship, swinging back and forth in a U-shaped flight path while their iridescent violet ear patches flash like strobes. Despite weighing only 5–7 grams, this hummingbird can enter torpor on cold nights, dropping its body temperature by 20°C to conserve energy—a state so deep it can appear dead to the untrained eye.
Habitats & Distribution
The White-vented Violetear is found across central and eastern South America, primarily in Brazil, but also extending into Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. Its geographical range covers a vast area from Maranhão and Ceará in the northeast down to Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo, with isolated populations in the southern Amazon basin. This hummingbird inhabits a variety of open and semi-open environments, including cerrado savanna, caatinga scrubland, gallery forests, forest edges, and secondary growth. It is also commonly seen in gardens, parks, and agricultural areas with scattered trees or flowering plants, thriving from lowlands up to elevations of around 1,500 meters in the Andes foothills.
Behaviours & Reproduction
The White-vented Violetear is generally solitary, with males defending small, nectar-rich territories in open or semi-open habitats. During the breeding season, males perform a distinctive display flight, hovering in a tight U-shape or figure-eight pattern while producing a sharp, metallic ticking sound with their tail feathers to attract females. There is no pair bond; after mating, the female alone builds a small cup-shaped nest, typically placed on a low branch or in a shrub, where she lays two white eggs. The female incubates the eggs for about 16–18 days and feeds the chicks regurgitated nectar and small insects until they fledge after roughly three weeks. A unique reproductive strategy is the male’s reliance on acoustic signals from tail feathers rather than vocal song, which may reduce energy costs while still effectively advertising his territory.
Diet
The White-vented Violetear is primarily a nectarivore, feeding on the sugary nectar from a variety of brightly colored, tubular flowers, which it accesses by hovering and inserting its long, brush-tipped tongue. An interesting fact about its diet is that it is a "trap-line" feeder, meaning it visits a regular circuit of specific flowering plants in a predictable sequence to maximize efficiency. Furthermore, to supplement its high-energy nectar intake, it also consumes small arthropods like spiders and insects, which provide essential proteins and amino acids, especially during the breeding season.
Colors
The White-vented Violetear is primarily a deep, shimmering green, with a glittering violet-blue patch on the ear coverts and a similarly colored breast patch. Its most distinctive feature is the white, fluffy vent area beneath the tail, contrasting with the otherwise dark underparts. The long, forked tail is a metallic blue-black, and the overall iridescence provides camouflage in dappled forest light.
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