Rumbito Amatista
Amethyst Woodstar
Calliphlox amethystina
Song
Amethyst Woodstar
Appearance: The Amethyst Woodstar is a tiny hummingbird, about 7 cm long. The male is glossy green above and has a shining amethyst-purple throat, pale underparts, and a deeply forked dark purplish tail. The female lacks the purple throat; she is green above, whitish below, with some green spotting on the throat, rufous on the flanks, and a shorter tail with a dark band and pale tips.
Habitat: It inhabits semi-open and open habitats such as forest borders, clearings, savanna, scrubby woodland, gardens, parks, and edges of humid forest. In Colombia, it is usually associated with forest edges and flowering areas, often below about 1,500 m.
Behavior: It feeds mainly on nectar from small flowers and also catches tiny insects. Like other woodstars, it is very small and fast, with a buzzing, insect-like flight. It often visits flowering shrubs, forest edges, and garden flowers. Males may defend flowering patches, but the species is generally more inconspicuous than larger hummingbirds.
Breeding: The female builds a very small cup-shaped nest using soft plant fibers, lichens, and spiderweb. She lays two eggs. Incubation lasts about 13–14 days, and the young fledge about 20–22 days after hatching.
Conservation Status: The Amethyst Woodstar is listed as Least Concern.
MALE
FEMALE
Distribution
The Amethyst Woodstar is a rare or uncommon species at the edge of its range. It occurs in eastern Colombia, connected with populations in Venezuela, and also reaches slightly into southern Colombia from Ecuador and Peru.
Taxonomy
The Amethyst Woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves (Birds)
- Order: Caprimulgiformes
- Family: Trochilidae
- Genus: Calliphlox
- Species: amethystina
Vocalization
Song: A short, high-pitched series of quick notes, often sounding like fine “tsit-tsit-tsit” or “tsee-tsee-tsee” sounds. Some recordings classify the sound as both call and song, especially during male display behavior.
Call: Thin, sharp, insect-like chips or ticks, usually given while moving around flowers or interacting with other hummingbirds.
Display Call: During courtship, the male may give rapid, high notes while displaying to a female
Territorial Call: Like many small hummingbirds, it may give quick squeaky or ticking notes during chases around nectar sources.
Overall, its voice is delicate, high-pitched, and insect-like, an
