HUMMINGBIRDS OF CENTRAL AMERICA

Green Violetear Hummingbird

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Colibri Thalassinus

Males have grass green upper plumage turning into a bronze color on the rump and uppertail feathers, tail is square and slightly notched with a broad dark blue band at the end of the tail.

Females are similar to adult males, but slightly duller in color. Blue on chest possibly less extensive than in males.

BILL: mostly straight with only a slight downward curve bill, measuring about 0.71 to 0.98 inches.

SIZE: A medium-sized hummingbird, with an average length of around 3.8 - 4.7 inches.

WEIGHT: weight varies from 4.8 - 5.6 grams.

COLOR: violet, greenish-blue, black, bluish-black, dark brown, metallic green or bronze-green, buff, and gray.

Montane forest borders, pine-oak forests, clearings, and pastures with trees.

NECTAR from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs, and epiphytes.

INSECTS small insects and spiders.

NEST: cup-shaped nest out of plant fibers woven together and green moss on the outside for camouflage in a protected location in a shrub, bush or tree.

EGGS: 2 white eggs.

INCUBATION: 16 to 17 days, female only.

Hovering, sometimes hanging while feeding from flowers. Males aggressively chase away other males as well as large insects - such as bumblebees and hawk moths - that want to feed in their territory. They use aerial flights and intimidating displays to defend their territories.

Breeds from the highlands of Southern Mexico South to Nicaragua. Rare but annual nonbreeding visitor to the United States, primarily Southern and Central Texas, with scattered records as far North as extreme Southern Canada.

The Green Violet-ear is also known as the Mexican Violet-ear.

REFERENCES:  https://www.beautyofbirds.com/

                          https://en.wikipedia.org/

                          https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/