Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Urosticte benjamini
Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini) — 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 Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.9 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 Urosticte
- Species benjamini
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.9 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip 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 Purple-bibbed Whitetip is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini) is a member of the Trochilidae family, within the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA w slope of Andes of w Colombia to nw Ecuador.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 3.6 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 17,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-bibbed Whitetip?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is a very small bird that weighs around 3.9 g.
Where does the Purple-bibbed Whitetip live?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is found across South America with a range covering SA w slope of Andes of w Colombia to nw Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Purple-bibbed Whitetip belong to?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Purple-bibbed Whitetip eat?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Purple-bibbed Whitetip migrate?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-bibbed Whitetip 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 Purple-bibbed Whitetip make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-bibbed Whitetip — 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 Purple-bibbed Whitetip's range?
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip has a mapped global range of about 17,000 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.