Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Violetear
Colibri cyanotus
Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus) — 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 Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 5.9 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Colibri
- Species cyanotus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.9 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Violetear is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Lesser Violetear is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus) is a member of the Trochilidae family, within the order Apodiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica s to Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Violetear?
The Lesser Violetear is a very small bird that weighs around 5.9 g.
Where does the Lesser Violetear live?
The Lesser Violetear is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica s to Bolivia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Lesser Violetear belong to?
The Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Lesser Violetear eat?
The Lesser Violetear is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Lesser Violetear migrate?
The Lesser Violetear is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Lesser Violetear make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Violetear — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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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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.