Mexican Violetear
Mexican Violetear
Colibri thalassinus
At a Glance
In the highlands of the American tropics, from Mexico to Nicaragua, the Mexican Violetear is often common in forest clearings and edges. It is apparently somewhat nomadic, moving around among mountain ranges, and some wanderers reach the United States, with a few found almost every year. Recorded many times in Texas, the species has also appeared in scattered locations from coast to coast and north as far as Canada.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Hummingbirds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Urban and Suburban Habitats
Behavior
Direct Flight, Hovering, Rapid Wingbeats
Range & Identification
Description
Sexes similar — Length: 4-5 in (11-12 cm); wingspan: 4-5 in (10-13 cm); weight: 0.2-0.3 oz (5-8 g). The Mexican Violetear is rather large for a hummingbird, with straight bill. Dark green with blue-violet ear patch and chest. Tail blue-green, crossed by blackish band.
Size
About the size of a Sparrow
Color
Blue, Green, Purple
Wing Shape
Narrow, Pointed
Tail Shape
Notched, Rounded, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Call a dry tchap.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat, Simple
Call Type
Buzz, Chirp/Chip, High
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