HUMMINGBIRD SPECIES

Bahama Woodstar

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Calliphlox evelynae

The Bahama Woodstar is a small, long- tailed hummingbird endemic to the Bahama archipelago, including the Bahama and Turks and Caicos islands.

It is named the "Hummer" by locals due to a distinct humming sound it makes while feeding.

It is small hummingbird, growing to be only about 3.1 - 3.7 inches in length and weigh around 2.4 - 3 grams.

Their backs are green and gold, with olive-buff underparts, and flanks fading into white (males) or cinnamon (females). Wings are brown and their tails appear a blackish- purple

Males have a fork-shaped tail while females display a more rounded tail with wider feathers. Males have bright purple iridescent gorgets lined with a white stripe, which dull out as breeding season ends.

Females do not have the purple throat or white stripe.

Both males and females have black, slightly curved bills and black feet.

CALL: Include a sharp, metallic “tit” or “tit-it”; often given in series, sometimes quite rapidly. Males also make a metallic sound with their tail during display flights.

SONG: A series of tic notes...tic..tic-tic... tic...tic...tic-tic.

Typical diet of Hummingbirds, feeding heavily on nectar. Insects can comprise a large portion of the diet.

A variety of semi-open and brushy habitats, including forest edges and brushy undergrowth, areas of low- growing, scrubby vegetation, and suburban gardens.

Bahama Archipelago, including the Turks and Caicos Islands and with exception to the Inagua islands. It has also been recorded multiple times in Florida, United States.

The nest is a small cup made of soft materials such as cotton and down, woven together with lichen and various plant materials such as twigs and bark. It is typically situated in vegetation from 2 - 12 feet above ground.

The female lays 2 white oval shaped eggs which they incubate alone for approximately 2 weeks.

SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org
https://www.sdakotabirds.com
https://ebird.org