Photo: thibaudaronson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green-fronted Lancebill
Doryfera ludovicae
Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) — Hummingbirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 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 Doryfera
- Species ludovicae
Where it lives
Costa Rica to Venezuela and northwestern Bolivia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green-fronted Lancebill 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-fronted Lancebill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to Venezuela and nw Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 3.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 387,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green-fronted Lancebill?
The Green-fronted Lancebill is a very small bird that weighs around 6 g.
Where does the Green-fronted Lancebill live?
The Green-fronted Lancebill is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to Venezuela and nw Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Green-fronted Lancebill belong to?
The Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Green-fronted Lancebill eat?
The Green-fronted Lancebill is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Green-fronted Lancebill migrate?
The Green-fronted Lancebill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green-fronted Lancebill 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-fronted Lancebill make?
1 real field recording of the Green-fronted Lancebill — 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 Green-fronted Lancebill's range?
The Green-fronted Lancebill has a mapped global range of about 387,000 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
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
More in Hummingbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.