Photo: Rick elis.simpson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Heliomaster squamosus
Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) — 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 Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 5.9 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 Heliomaster
- Species squamosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.9 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat 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 Stripe-breasted Starthroat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.6 cm and a tail of around 3.5 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 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Stripe-breasted Starthroat?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat is a very small bird that weighs around 5.9 g.
Where does the Stripe-breasted Starthroat live?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat is found across South America with a range covering SA e, se Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Stripe-breasted Starthroat belong to?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Stripe-breasted Starthroat eat?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Stripe-breasted Starthroat migrate?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Stripe-breasted Starthroat 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 Stripe-breasted Starthroat make?
1 real field recording of the Stripe-breasted Starthroat — 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 Stripe-breasted Starthroat's range?
The Stripe-breasted Starthroat has a mapped global range of about 1.5 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
More in Trochilidae
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Least Concern
Vulnerable
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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.