Violet-chested hummingbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Violet-chested hummingbird |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Tribe: | Lampornithini |
| Genus: | Sternoclyta Gould, 1858 |
| Species: |
S. cyanopectus
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| Binomial name | |
| Sternoclyta cyanopectus (Gould, 1846)
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The violet-chested hummingbird is a beautiful bird found in Colombia and Venezuela. It's a type of hummingbird known for its bright colors. Scientists call it Sternoclyta cyanopectus.
Contents
A Special Hummingbird
This hummingbird is the only bird in its group, called a genus. This means it's quite unique! It does not have different types, or subspecies, within its group.
What Does It Look Like?
The violet-chested hummingbird is about 11 to 13 centimeters (4.5 to 5 inches) long. Males are a bit heavier than females. Both male and female birds have a black beak that curves downwards. They also have a small white spot right behind their eyes.
Male Hummingbirds
Adult males have shiny, grass-green feathers on their upper body. Their throat area, called a gorget, is a sparkling emerald green. Below this, on their chest, they have a patch of glittering violet-blue. The rest of their underside is grayish with golden-green spots on their sides. Their tail is bronze with tiny white tips on the outer feathers.
Female Hummingbirds
Adult females also have shiny grass-green feathers on their upper body. Their underside is mostly grayish. They have green spots on their chest. The middle of their belly is a reddish-brown color. Young hummingbirds look similar to the adult females.
Where Do They Live?
Most violet-chested hummingbirds live in northern and western Venezuela. You can find them in the Coastal Range and in the Andes mountains. They also live a little bit into Colombia, in the Norte de Santander Department.
Their Home
These birds love to live in humid, subtropical forests and woodlands. They especially like open areas created by landslides or fallen trees. You might also see them in older secondary forests or even in coffee farms. They can live from sea level up to 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) high. However, they are rarely found below 700 meters (2,300 feet).
How They Behave
Movement
The violet-chested hummingbird does not travel far. It tends to stay in the same area its whole life.
Feeding Habits
This hummingbird usually looks for nectar deep inside the forest. It often searches in thick plants and damp ravines. It also likes to find food in areas with Heliconia plants. This bird protects its favorite flower patches from other birds. It never joins large groups of hummingbirds feeding together.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The breeding season for these hummingbirds happens at different times. In Lara state, it's from March to July. In other areas, it can be in November and December.
Building a Nest
The female bird builds a cup-shaped nest. She usually places it in a branch fork. Sometimes, she builds it on a vine or a fern. The nest is typically about 2 meters (6.5 feet) above the ground. She makes the nest from soft plant fibers. She adds moss, tree fern scales, and lichen to the outside.
Raising Young
The female lays two eggs. She sits on them for about 20 days to keep them warm. The young birds are ready to leave the nest about 26 days after they hatch.
Their Songs and Calls
The main song of the violet-chested hummingbird is a series of sharp "chit! ... chit! ... chit!" notes. Another song includes "chip" and "weet" notes mixed with short, squeaky trills. When they are looking for food, they make loud, quick chipping sounds.
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the violet-chested hummingbird is of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing. However, it lives in a specific area, and we don't know how many there are or if their numbers are changing. No immediate threats have been found. It lives in some protected areas. It is thought to be common in certain places and seems to do well in areas where forests have regrown or in places changed by people.
See also
In Spanish: Colibrí pechiazul para niños
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
