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Photo: desertnaturalist / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Critically Endangered

Santa Marta Sabrewing

Campylopterus phainopeplus

Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) — Hummingbirds of South America.

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The Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 7.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.

CR Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Apodiformes
  3. Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
  4. Genus Campylopterus
  5. Species phainopeplus

Where it lives

Northeastern Colombia

Quick facts

Weight
7.7 g
Family
Trochilidae
Order
Apodiformes

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) is a member of the Trochilidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Colombia.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 4 cm.

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1,551 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Santa Marta Sabrewing — Call, flight call, song

Recorded by Andrés M. Cuervo Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Santa Marta Sabrewing?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a very small bird that weighs around 7.7 g.

Where does the Santa Marta Sabrewing live?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Colombia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Santa Marta Sabrewing belong to?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.

What does the Santa Marta Sabrewing eat?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Does the Santa Marta Sabrewing migrate?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Santa Marta Sabrewing endangered?

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

What sound does the Santa Marta Sabrewing make?

1 real field recording of the Santa Marta Sabrewing — 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 Santa Marta Sabrewing's range?

The Santa Marta Sabrewing has a mapped global range of about 1,551 km².

Conservation

Critically Endangered

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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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.

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Meet the Trochilidae

A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

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