Buffy Hummingbird (Leucippus fallax)

Name Origin:
The genus name Leucippus comes from the Greek leukos meaning “white” and hippos meaning “horse,” a poetic classical reference often applied to pale or light-colored birds. The species name fallax means “deceptive” or “false” in Latin, possibly alluding to its understated appearance among more colorful hummingbirds.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3–4 g (0.10–0.14 oz)
🌎 Range: Northern Colombia, northern and western Venezuela, and coastal Ecuador
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 1,200 m (0–3,940 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Arid scrub, dry forest, and coastal thornbush
🧬 Clade: Trochilini "Emeralds" (lowland hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic species with no recognized subspecies.

Distribution: Found in northern Colombia (La Guajira and Magdalena), northern and western Venezuela (Falcón, Lara, and Zulia), and coastal Ecuador. It inhabits dry scrublands, open woodland, and arid lowlands, often near cactus or flowering trees such as Erythrina and Cordia.

Species Overview

The Buffy Hummingbird is a distinctive pale hummingbird of the arid tropics. Unlike most of its relatives, it thrives in dry habitats and is often seen flitting among thorny acacia and cactus. Its soft buff tones and white underparts provide effective camouflage in sandy, sunlit environments.

Male Description:
The male has pale brownish-buff upperparts, a creamy-white belly, and rufous-edged tail feathers. The throat is slightly washed with cinnamon or bronze depending on the light. The bill is straight and dark, with a reddish base. In flight, the tail flashes warm rufous tones, contrasting with the pale body.

Female Description:
The female is similar to the male but paler and less vividly marked, with a whiter throat and narrower rufous tail band. Her plumage is slightly grayer above and cleaner below.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits dry scrub, thorn forest, and coastal desert regions, often foraging at low heights among cacti, Heliotropium, and Prosopis flowers. It is also attracted to cultivated gardens and flowering hedgerows. The Buffy Hummingbird feeds mainly on nectar but supplements its diet with small insects. It is generally solitary and nonterritorial, following irregular blooming cycles across its range. Its call is a soft tsip or chik note, given repeatedly while foraging.

Conservation Note:
The Buffy Hummingbird is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains locally common across its range. Its tolerance of open, dry habitats and ability to use gardens and agricultural zones contribute to its stability. However, coastal development and desert scrub clearance could reduce suitable foraging areas in parts of Venezuela and Ecuador. Conservation of native dry forest and coastal shrublands helps sustain populations of this understated but resilient Trochilini species.