Purple-throated Woodstar

The Purple-throated Woodstar, Philodice mitchellii, is a diminutive and enchanting hummingbird belonging to the "bee hummingbirds" tribe Mellisugini. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with both sexes sporting a short, straight, black bill and dusky bronze-green upperparts complemented by a distinctive white patch on either side of the rump.

Identification Tips

Males can be identified by their shining violet-purple gorget, a white band below it, and a forked tail of brownish purple. They also have a small white spot behind the eye. Females, on the other hand, display a buffy white throat with dusky speckles at the side and a downward curved white line behind the eye. Their central tail feathers are bronze-green, while the others are cinnamon with a black band near the end.

Habitat

The Purple-throated Woodstar thrives in the edges and interiors of humid forests and cloudforests, where the air is moist and the vegetation lush.

Distribution

This species is found discontinuously from eastern Panama's Darién Province, through both slopes of Colombia's western Andes, and down to central and southern Ecuador.

Behaviour

In Colombia, these birds exhibit altitudinal migration, breeding at higher elevations and descending to lower ones outside the breeding season.

Song & Calls

While the song of the Purple-throated Woodstar remains undescribed, its vocal repertoire includes a series of thin 'chit' notes and a distinctive squeaky 'kyee-kyee-kyee-kyee'.

Breeding

Breeding occurs from December to May in southwestern Colombia, with the female constructing a tiny cup nest of fine fibers and spiderweb. The incubation period for the clutch of two eggs lasts 15 to 17 days, though the time to fledging is yet to be determined.

Diet and Feeding

These woodstars forage high in flowering trees, such as those of the genera Cordia and Inga, sipping nectar and defending their feeding territories. They also catch small arthropods by hawking from a perch.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Purple-throated Woodstar as Least Concern. Despite its restricted range, the species is believed to have a stable population and is considered uncommon to locally common. It relies on native trees for nectar and is found in at least two protected areas in Colombia.