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Caprimulgiformes
Family
Trochilidae
Genus
Polyerata
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Purple-chested Hummingbird Polyerata rosenbergi Scientific name definitions

André Alexander Weller, Guy M. Kirwan, and Peter F. D. Boesman
Version: 1.1 — Published August 18, 2021

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Introduction

This hummingbird is fairly common within its restricted range. It forages at low flowers or gleans insects around wet forest edges, second growth woodlands, or clearings. The male has a sparkling violet-blue chest patch and the female displays large green spots from her throat to upper belly. Both sexes could be mistaken for Blue-chested Hummingbird (Polyerata amabilis) or Blue-headed Sapphire (Chrysuronia grayi).

Field Identification

8–10 cm; male 4 g, female 3·5 g. Male has straight, medium-sized bill, maxilla blackish, mandible fleshy red except dark tip; upperparts golden to dark golden-green; uppertail-coverts bronze-green to purplish; underparts golden-green, with violet-blue patch on upper breast; belly brownish, undertail-coverts pure white; central rectrices bronze to purple-green, outer rectrices more blackish green. Female lacks breast patch but exhibits an indistinct band of turquoise to bluish feathers with whitish margins; belly paler greyish; rectrices tipped white. Juvenile resembles female in throat-patch coloration.

Systematics History

Sometimes placed in genus Polyerata or Agyrtria. Proposed race reini (NW Ecuador) separated on basis of extent of breast patch, different throat coloration and longer bill, but these traits are deemed attributable to individual variation. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

W Colombia (S from C Chocó) and NW Ecuador (NW Pichincha).

Habitat

Rainforest, forest edges, second growth and clearings; occurs from near sea-level to 600 m, with one record in Ecuador from c. 900 m.

Movement

Some local dispersal, but movements poorly understood.

Diet and Foraging

Forages for nectar at a great variety of plants, and feeding has been recorded from Costus, Heliconia, Ericaceae (Macleania, Psammisia), Gesneriaceae (Allopectus, Besleria, Drymonia, Gasteranthus) and Loranthaceae (Tristerix).

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a repeated phrase of c. 7–9 “tsee” notes, with emphasis on first two notes and the rest at a slightly faster pace, “tsee...tsee...tsee.tsee.tsee.tsee.tsee”. Calls include single “tsee” notes.

Breeding

Jan–Apr. Nest tiny, cup-shaped, made of soft plant fibres and lichen; built in low trees and vines, 2–4 m above ground. Clutch two white eggs; incubation 15–17 days, by female; chick darkish, with some buff dorsal down; fledging at 20–24 days.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Restricted-range species: present in Chocó EBA. Locally common resident. In coastal SW Colombia, recorded density of at least 2–3 pairs/km². Present in Río Ñambi Reserve, Colombia.

Distribution of the Purple-chested Hummingbird - Range Map
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  • Migration
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  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Purple-chested Hummingbird

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Weller, A.A., G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2021). Purple-chested Hummingbird (Polyerata rosenbergi), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.puchum1.01.1
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