Stripe-breasted starthroat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stripe-breasted starthroat
Male stripe-breasted starthroat in southeastern Brazil
Female stripe-breasted starthroat in southeastern Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Genus:	Heliomaster
Species:	H. squamosus
Binomial name
Heliomaster squamosus (Temminck, 1823)
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The stripe-breasted starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) is a beautiful hummingbird. It belongs to a group called "mountain gems". This bird lives only in Brazil.

About the Stripe-breasted Starthroat

How Scientists Classify This Bird

Scientists group living things to understand them better. This is called taxonomy. The stripe-breasted starthroat was once in a different group. But since the mid-1900s, it has been in the Heliomaster group. It is the only species in its specific subgroup.

What Does This Hummingbird Look Like?

The stripe-breasted starthroat is a small bird. It is about 11 to 12 centimeters (4.3 to 4.9 inches) long. It weighs about 5 to 6.5 grams (0.18 to 0.23 ounces). Both male and female birds have a long, slightly curved black beak. They also have a white stripe behind their eye. A white "moustache" mark is on their face.

Male and Female Differences

Both male and female birds have a forked tail. However, the female's tail is not as deeply forked. Males in breeding season have shiny bronze-green feathers on their back. Their head feathers are an iridescent green. Their throat feathers are a sparkling violet color. These throat feathers spread out at the sides. Their belly is greenish-black with a white stripe down the middle. The central tail feathers are black. The other tail feathers are dark blue-green. After breeding, the male's throat feathers turn grayish with black spots.

Female birds have similar upper body feathers to the males. Their throat feathers are blackish-green with white edges. Their chest and belly are grayish. A white stripe runs down the middle of their belly. Their sides are greenish. The tail is green. The outer tail feathers have a steel blue band near the end. They also have white tips.

Where Do Stripe-breasted Starthroats Live?

Distribution and Habitat

The stripe-breasted starthroat lives in eastern Brazil. It can be found from Pernambuco in the north to São Paulo state in the south. This bird has also been seen in Argentina's Iguazú National Park. This was a rare sighting.

These hummingbirds live in forests and open grasslands called savannah. They can be found from sea level up to about 800 meters (2,600 feet) high.

How Stripe-breasted Starthroats Live

Movement

The stripe-breasted starthroat usually stays in one area. It does not move around much. Sometimes, it might fly to higher places than usual.

Feeding Habits

This hummingbird eats nectar from many different kinds of flowers. It usually looks for food between 3 and 8 meters (10 and 26 feet) above the ground. It protects its favorite flower patches from other stripe-breasted starthroats. But it is less protective against other types of hummingbirds. Besides nectar, it also catches small insects. It catches them by flying out and grabbing them in the air. This is called "hawking."

Reproduction and Life Cycle

The stripe-breasted starthroat usually breeds from February to April. However, some birds have been seen nesting in November. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest. She often places it on a flat tree branch. The nest is usually 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) above the ground. Some nests have been found even higher. One nest was even seen on a power line!

The female lays two eggs. She sits on them for 14 to 16 days to keep them warm. This is called incubation. The young birds leave the nest 21 to 24 days after they hatch.

Vocalization

The song of the stripe-breasted starthroat is a quiet, buzzing, scratchy sound. It sounds like "bzzzrrrr..bzzzrrr..chi-chi-chi-chi..bzrrr." It also makes a clear "tsik" call.

Conservation Status

The stripe-breasted starthroat is currently listed as a species of "Least Concern" by the IUCN. This means it is not in danger of disappearing. Its population size is not fully known. However, scientists believe the number of these birds is stable. It is common in some areas. It also lives in at least one national park in Brazil.