Rumbito Buchiblanco
White-bellied Woodstar
Chaetocercus mulsant
Song
White-bellied Woodstar
Appearance: The White-bellied Woodstar is a very tiny hummingbird, about 7 cm long. The male is green above with a glittering pink to violet throat patch, a white belly, white flank patches, and a short forked tail. The female lacks the bright throat; she is greenish above, pale below, and has warmer buff or rufous tones with a shorter, rounded tail.
Habitat: It lives mainly along humid montane forest edges, clearings, pastures with flowers, gardens, cultivated areas, and semi-open Andean landscapes. It is most common around 1500–3000 m.
Behavior: It feeds on nectar from many flowering plants and trees, including Agave, Inga, and Lantana, and also eats small arthropods. Like other woodstars, it has a slow, bumblebee-like flight and often feeds quietly inside the territories of larger hummingbirds instead of defending its own feeding area.
Breeding: Very little is known about its breeding.
Conservation Status: The White-bellied Woodstar is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
MALE
FEMALE
Distribution
The White-bellied Woodstar occurs irregularly in the Central and Eastern Andes.
Taxonomy
The White-bellied Woodstar (Chaetocercus mulsant)
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves (Birds)
- Order: Caprimulgiformes
- Family: Trochilidae
- Genus: Chaetocercus
- Species: mulsant
Vocalization
Song: A short, dry, repeated series of very high notes, often described as thin “tsit-tsit-tsit” or “tsee-tsee-tsee” sounds. The song is simple and insect-like, not musical or complex.
Call Notes: Short, sharp “tsit,” “tseet,” or “chit” notes, usually given while moving between flowers or interacting with other hummingbirds.
Feeding Call: Tiny high chips may be heard when it visits flowering shrubs, forest edges, gardens, or pastures.
Territorial Call: Quick squeaky or ticking notes may be given during brief chases around nectar sources.
Flight Call: Its wings can make a soft bumblebee-like buzz in flight. This is a mechanical wing sound, not a true vocal call.
