Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Magenta-throated Woodstar

Philodice bryantae

The Magenta-throated Woodstar, Philodice bryantae, is a diminutive and vibrant species of hummingbird belonging to the "bee hummingbirds" tribe Mellisugini. Exhibiting sexual dimorphism, the male is approximately 9.0 cm in length and weighs around 3.3 g, while the female is slightly smaller at about 7.5 cm and weighs approximately 3.5 g. Both sexes possess a short, straight, black bill and a distinctive white spot behind the eye.

Identification Tips

Adult males can be identified by their metallic purple gorget, a green breast and flanks, and a rufous belly with a white or buffy patch on either side of the rump. Females, on the other hand, have a buffy throat and a green breast and flanks with some rufous mixed in. The male's tail feathers are black with cinnamon-rufous inner webs, while the female's tail feathers are rufous with a black band near the end and buffy cinnamon tips.

Habitat

This species thrives in semi-open to open landscapes within the Talamancan montane ecoregion. Habitats include forest edges and clearings, thinned woodland, secondary forest, and shrubby pastures.

Distribution

The Magenta-throated Woodstar is native to the regions extending from northern Costa Rica into western Panama as far as Veraguas Province, predominantly on the Pacific slope.

Behaviour

Local movements have been observed in this species, suggesting a partial migratory pattern, although details remain elusive. Males are known to display aggressive behavior when defending feeding territories, often holding their long tail cocked and closed while feeding but opening it wide during confrontations.

Song & Calls

The song of the Magenta-throated Woodstar is a low-pitched, rapid medley of sputtering and gurgling notes. Their calls include a low-pitched dry rolling 'drr', a dry 'cht', and a low-pitched, whistled 'tew' which is typically heard during chases.

Breeding

In Costa Rica, the breeding season spans from November to March or April, with males performing diving display flights alone or in loose groups, possibly at leks. Details of the nesting behavior, incubation period, and time to fledging in Panama remain undocumented.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists of nectar from various flowering plants, shrubs, and trees. The Magenta-throated Woodstar also captures small arthropods by hawking from a perch or gleaning from foliage.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Magenta-throated Woodstar as Least Concern. Although it has a restricted range and its population, estimated between 20,000 and 50,000 mature individuals, is believed to be decreasing, the species is still considered locally common and seems to tolerate some degree of forest clearance.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Magenta-throated Woodstars on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Hummingbirds

A photo of a Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys)

Speckled Hummingbird

Adelomyia melanogenys
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜ƒ
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.