Hummingbird of the Yungas, approximately 10.8 cm in length. The male has a distinctive iridescent blue forehead; throat, breast, and belly are bright green. The female lacks the blue forehead and has an ochraceous to cinnamon-colored throat, breast, and belly, with some scattered greenish spots on the flanks. Both sexes have bright green upperparts with bronzy reflections, prominent white feather tufts covering the thighs like “pants,” bright violet-blue undertail coverts, a dark tail with bluish reflections, and a small white spot behind the eye. The bill is black, relatively short, and almost straight. Juveniles are duller, and young males initially lack the blue sheen on the forehead.
Geographic distribution: It is distributed in the Andes of central and southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, where it inhabits the Yungas of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, and marginally Catamarca. It is recorded between approximately 1,000 and 2,600 m above sea level, performing seasonal altitudinal movements.
Habitat: It primarily inhabits montane forests and cloud forests, as well as their edges within the Yungas. It is especially frequent in areas with abundant shrubs and dense vegetation, humid clearings, ravines, and ecotones between forest and high-elevation grasslands. It may also be found in montane shrublands and shrub-dominated habitats at higher elevations. It mainly uses the lower and middle vegetation strata.
Diet: It feeds mainly on nectar obtained from flowers of shrubs and other low-growing plants, including Begonia boliviensis, Caiophora hibiscifolia, and Fuchsia boliviana, species on which it has been observed feeding in Calilegua National Park (personal obs.). It complements its diet with small arthropods. It generally forages at low heights within the vegetation, visiting scattered flowers along forest edges, clearings, and montane shrublands.
Behavior: It is a generally solitary and strongly territorial hummingbird. Individuals actively defend areas with floral resources against other hummingbirds and even against larger birds (personal obs.). It moves rapidly between flowers and nearby perches, from which it monitors its territory. It emits sharp, prolonged calls that can be heard from considerable distances.
Breeding: It builds a small nest where it lays two white eggs. Incubation and the initial care of the chicks are carried out by the female.
Conservation status: Considered Least Concern (LC) at the international level. In Argentina, it is categorized as Vulnerable (VU). Although it may be locally common in some favorable areas and occurs in several protected areas, it has a relatively restricted distribution associated with the Yungas of southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, making the conservation of these environments essential for its populations.
Author of this compilation: María Belén Dri and Diego Carús – 06/24/2026