Photo: Jerry Oldenettel from Socorro, NM, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scintillant Hummingbird
Selasphorus scintilla
Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) — Hummingbirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 2.2 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 Selasphorus
- Species scintilla
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scintillant Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Scintillant Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA nc Costa Rica and w Panama.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 2.2 g, with a wing length of about 3.3 cm and a tail of around 2.4 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 9,423 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scintillant Hummingbird?
The Scintillant Hummingbird is a very small bird that weighs around 2.2 g.
Where does the Scintillant Hummingbird live?
The Scintillant Hummingbird is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA nc Costa Rica and w Panama, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Scintillant Hummingbird belong to?
The Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Scintillant Hummingbird eat?
The Scintillant Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Scintillant Hummingbird migrate?
The Scintillant Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scintillant Hummingbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Scintillant Hummingbird's range?
The Scintillant Hummingbird has a mapped global range of about 9,423 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
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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.