Photo: University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Heliodoxa xanthogonys
Velvet-browed Brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Velvet-browed Brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 7 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 Heliodoxa
- Species xanthogonys
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Velvet-browed Brilliant 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 Velvet-browed Brilliant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Velvet-browed Brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA tepuis.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 3.8 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 222,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Velvet-browed Brilliant?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant is a very small bird that weighs around 7 g.
Where does the Velvet-browed Brilliant live?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant is found across South America with a range covering SA tepuis, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Velvet-browed Brilliant belong to?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Velvet-browed Brilliant eat?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Velvet-browed Brilliant migrate?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Velvet-browed Brilliant 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 Velvet-browed Brilliant's range?
The Velvet-browed Brilliant has a mapped global range of about 222,000 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.