Photo: Seabamirum on Flickr / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-eared Hummingbird
Basilinna leucotis
White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis) — Hummingbirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 3.4 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 Basilinna
- Species leucotis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.4 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 White-eared Hummingbird 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 White-eared Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Mexico to Nicaragua.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.4 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 3.3 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 557,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-eared Hummingbird?
The White-eared Hummingbird is a very small bird that weighs around 3.4 g.
Where does the White-eared Hummingbird live?
The White-eared Hummingbird is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Mexico to Nicaragua, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-eared Hummingbird belong to?
The White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-eared Hummingbird eat?
The White-eared Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the White-eared Hummingbird migrate?
The White-eared Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-eared 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 White-eared Hummingbird make?
1 real field recording of the White-eared Hummingbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-eared Hummingbird's range?
The White-eared Hummingbird has a mapped global range of about 557,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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.