Violet Sabrewing

Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Campylopterus hemileucurus
  • Spanish Name: Colibrí violáceo
  • Family: Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Violet Sabrewing Hummingbird
  • Average Length: 13–15 cm / 5.1–5.9 in
  • Average Weight: 9–12 g / 0.32–0.42 oz
  • Wingspan: N/A
  • Key Feature: Large, strongly curved black bill and iridescent violet plumage in males
  • Primary Diet: Nectarivore (primarily nectar) with some small arthropods
  • Range: Southern Mexico to western Panama
  • Habitat: Humid montane and lowland forest edges, clearings, and gardens
  • Social Structure: Solitary, territorial
  • Nesting/Breeding: Small cup nest built on a horizontal branch or in a shrub fork
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Population Trend: Stable

The Violet Sabrewing (*Campylopterus hemileucurus*) is a dazzling giant among hummingbirds, found in the humid forests of Central America. Its most striking feature is the male's iridescent, deep violet plumage that shimmers across its entire body, contrasting sharply with a white-tipped tail and a dramatically curved, jet-black bill. True to its name, the "sabrewing" refers to its unique, thickened wing shafts—resembling small sabers—which produce a distinctive, loud whirring sound in flight. One of the largest hummingbirds in its range, it also possesses a notably long, forked tail and a specialized foraging style, often hovering low to feed on large flowers like heliconias, making it a vivid and powerful presence in the rainforest understory.

Faits amusants

The Violet Sabrewing is the largest hummingbird north of Mexico, and it uses its dramatically curved, sabre-like bill to sip nectar from flowers with deep corollas that smaller hummingbirds cannot reach. It is notoriously aggressive, often dominating feeders and chasing away birds many times its size with a loud, metallic wing whistle produced by its specialized primary feathers. Males perform a unique "pendulum" display flight, swinging back and forth like a weighted clock while their iridescent violet plumage flashes in the sun, and they are one of the few hummingbirds known to regularly bathe by rubbing against wet leaves in the rain rather than just flying through water.

Habitats et répartition

The Violet Sabrewing inhabits humid evergreen forests, forest edges, and shaded coffee plantations, primarily in mountainous and foothill regions. It is most commonly found near streams and ravines within these environments, from the understory to the canopy. Its geographical range extends from southern Mexico through Central America, including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama, typically at elevations between 600 and 2,400 meters.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Violet Sabrewing is a solitary and highly territorial hummingbird. Males establish feeding territories in the understory of montane forests, aggressively defending patches of flowering plants like heliconias and bananas from other hummingbirds, including larger species. They do not form pair bonds; instead, courtship involves the male performing a dramatic U-shaped dive display from a high perch, producing a loud, whirring sound with his wings to attract a passing female. After mating, the female alone builds a small cup-shaped nest of plant fibers and spiderwebs, typically on a low, horizontal branch. She incubates the two white eggs for about 15-19 days and feeds the chicks regurgitated nectar and small arthropods. A unique reproductive strategy is the female’s use of camouflaged nests and her exceptionally aggressive defense of the nest site, chasing off much larger intruders, which reduces predation pressure on the vulnerable young.

Alimentation

The Violet Sabrewing, a large hummingbird found in Central America, is a dedicated nectarivore, primarily feeding on the nectar of long, tubular flowers such as those of Heliconia, banana plants, and various epiphytes. Unlike many smaller hummingbirds that hover, this species often perches while feeding, using its exceptionally long, decurved bill to reach deep into blossoms. A fascinating aspect of its diet is that it also consumes small insects and spiders, which it catches by gleaning from foliage or in short aerial sallies, providing essential protein for muscle development and egg production. While defending rich nectar sources aggressively, it has been observed engaging in "trap-lining," visiting a specific sequence of flowers along a regular route to maximize feeding efficiency.

Couleurs

The Violet Sabrewing is a large hummingbird with a striking, deep violet-blue head, breast, and upperparts, while the underparts are a contrasting white. Its most unique feature is the male’s strongly curved, sabre-like black bill and the white tips on the outer tail feathers, which create a distinct pattern in flight. Females are duller, with green upperparts, gray underparts, and white tail corners for camouflage.