Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Giant Hummingbird
Patagona gigas
Southern Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 20.2 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 Patagona
- Species gigas
Where it lives
Breeds central, southern Chile and west-central Argentina; migrates northward to central Peruvian Andes
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Southern Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA breeds c, s Chile and wc Argentina; migrates northward to central Peruvian Andes.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.2 g, with a wing length of about 13.6 cm and a tail of around 8.6 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 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Giant Hummingbird?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is a small bird that weighs around 20.2 g.
Where does the Southern Giant Hummingbird live?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is found across South America with a range covering SA breeds c, s Chile and wc Argentina; migrates northward to central Peruvian Andes, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Southern Giant Hummingbird belong to?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Southern Giant Hummingbird eat?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Southern Giant Hummingbird migrate?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Southern Giant 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.
What sound does the Southern Giant Hummingbird make?
1 real field recording of the Southern Giant Hummingbird — 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 Southern Giant Hummingbird's range?
The Southern Giant Hummingbird has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million 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.