Violet-capped Hummingbird
Goldmania violiceps
Medium-sized hummingbird with a tiny range from central Panama to extreme northwest Colombia. Distinctive in range: male is bright emerald-green with shining purple crown and bronzy-purple tail. Female has whitish underparts with some green spotting on the sides. Found in forest and edge in the foothills from around 600–1,200 m, often feeding on flowers at low to middle levels. Visits feeders.
Identification
The violet-capped hummingbird is 8.5 to 9.5 cm (3.3 to 3.7 in) long. Males weigh 3.8 to 4.4 g (0.13 to 0.16 oz) and females 3.4 to 3.9 g (0.12 to 0.14 oz). Both sexes have a straight bill that is mostly black with a pink base to the mandible. The male's crown is iridescent violet-blue and most of the rest of the body is metallic green. Its tail is slightly forked and maroon with wide white edges to the feathers. The female has green upperparts and whitish underparts with gray spots on the throat and green ones along the side. Its tail feathers are maroon with white tips.
Taxonomy
The violet-capped hummingbird is monotypic. It shares it genus with the Pirre hummingbird.
- Scientific name
- Goldmania violiceps
- Authority
- Nelson, 1911
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Goldmania
Range and habitat
The violet-capped hummingbird is found in several unconnected mountainous areas in central and eastern Panama and extreme northwestern Colombia. It inhabits the edges and interior of humid forest between the elevations of 600 and 1,200 m (2,000 and 3,900 ft) and is most common at around 900 m (3,000 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Saddle-billed Stork
Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
A tall, lanky, black-and-white stork with a unique red, yellow, and black bill. The male has dark-brown eyes, and the female has yellow eyes. In flight, the bird’s massive size, and the dark bands in the center of the white wings are diagnostic. Scarce but conspicuous; mostly resident but can be partially nomadic in parts of the range. Found singly or in pairs at rivers and large undisturbed wetlands, foraging for favorites like catfish, but it will also take frogs, birds, and insects.
Ribbon-tailed Astrapia
Astrapia mayeri
A long-tailed bird of upper montane forest. The male has an iridescent green head and bib with a black chest band bordered with a thin gold stripe. Note the outlandishly long, white tail streamers. Female is blackish with barring on the belly and some iridescence on the head. Mainly eats fruit. Similar to Stephanie’s Astrapia, but Ribbon-tailed usually occurs at higher elevations. The female Ribbon-tailed has iridescence on the head and the male’s tail is white rather than black. Voice, excited, pulsing rasps.
Delta Amacuro Softtail
Thripophaga amacurensis
Distinctive streaky brown bird of riverine habitats of the Orinoco Delta. Most of body brown with buffy streaks (tear-shaped on underparts). Rich chestnut on chin, wings, rump, and tail. Sexes similar. Locally common and often in pairs, found from understory to canopy in riverine forest where often climbs trunks like a woodcreeper. Voice is an explosive group of short notes, mostly in duet. Similar to Orinoco Softtail (no range overlap), which is less streaked and has a buff eyebrow; Rusty-backed Spinetail is unstreaked. Endemic to the Orinoco River of northeastern Venezuela.
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