Photo: Joseph C Boone / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green-backed Hillstar
Urochroa leucura
Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.4 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 Urochroa
- Species leucura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.4 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green-backed Hillstar is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Green-backed Hillstar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Colombia, e Ecuador and ne Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.4 cm and a tail of around 4.4 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 33,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green-backed Hillstar?
The Green-backed Hillstar is a very small bird that weighs around 11.4 g.
Where does the Green-backed Hillstar live?
The Green-backed Hillstar is found across South America with a range covering SA s Colombia, e Ecuador and ne Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Green-backed Hillstar belong to?
The Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Green-backed Hillstar eat?
The Green-backed Hillstar is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Green-backed Hillstar migrate?
The Green-backed Hillstar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green-backed Hillstar 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 Green-backed Hillstar make?
1 real field recording of the Green-backed Hillstar — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Green-backed Hillstar's range?
The Green-backed Hillstar has a mapped global range of about 33,000 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
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Least Concern
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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.