Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Starfrontlet
Coeligena phalerata
White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) — 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 White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 6.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Coeligena
- Species phalerata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.1 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-tailed Starfrontlet 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-tailed Starfrontlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Colombia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.1 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 4.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4,729 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Starfrontlet?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet is a very small bird that weighs around 6.1 g.
Where does the White-tailed Starfrontlet live?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Colombia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-tailed Starfrontlet belong to?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-tailed Starfrontlet eat?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the White-tailed Starfrontlet migrate?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed Starfrontlet endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the White-tailed Starfrontlet make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Starfrontlet — 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 White-tailed Starfrontlet's range?
The White-tailed Starfrontlet has a mapped global range of about 4,729 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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Endangered
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Near Threatened
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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.