Photo: John Gould / William Matthew Hart / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Woodstar
Chaetocercus bombus
Little Woodstar (Chaetocercus bombus) — 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 Little Woodstar (Chaetocercus bombus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 6.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Chaetocercus
- Species bombus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.5 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Woodstar 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 Little Woodstar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Woodstar (Chaetocercus bombus) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA sw Colombia to nc Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.5 g, with a wing length of about 2.8 cm and a tail of around 2.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 174,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Woodstar?
The Little Woodstar is a very small bird that weighs around 6.5 g.
Where does the Little Woodstar live?
The Little Woodstar is found across South America with a range covering SA sw Colombia to nc Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Little Woodstar belong to?
The Little Woodstar (Chaetocercus bombus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Little Woodstar eat?
The Little Woodstar is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Little Woodstar migrate?
The Little Woodstar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little Woodstar endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Little Woodstar make?
1 real field recording of the Little Woodstar — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Woodstar's range?
The Little Woodstar has a mapped global range of about 174,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.