Photo: DickDaniels (https://theworldbirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tourmaline Sunangel
Heliangelus exortis
Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 4.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Heliangelus
- Species exortis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.6 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tourmaline Sunangel is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Tourmaline Sunangel is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and nw Ecuador.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 4.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 64,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tourmaline Sunangel?
The Tourmaline Sunangel is a very small bird that weighs around 4.6 g.
Where does the Tourmaline Sunangel live?
The Tourmaline Sunangel is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and nw Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Tourmaline Sunangel belong to?
The Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Tourmaline Sunangel eat?
The Tourmaline Sunangel is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Tourmaline Sunangel migrate?
The Tourmaline Sunangel is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Tourmaline Sunangel endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Tourmaline Sunangel make?
1 real field recording of the Tourmaline Sunangel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Tourmaline Sunangel's range?
The Tourmaline Sunangel has a mapped global range of about 64,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Trochilidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
More in Hummingbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Endangered
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.