Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird

Colombia

Jul 17

Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird (Saucerottia castaneiventris)

Name Origin:
The genus name Saucerottia honors Antoine Claudius Saucerotte, an 18th-century French naturalist. The species name castaneiventris comes from the Latin castanea meaning “chestnut” and ventris meaning “belly,” describing the species’ distinctive rufous underparts.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 8.5–9.5 cm (3.3–3.7 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3.5–4.5 g (0.12–0.16 oz)
🌎 Range: Endemic to Colombia (upper Magdalena and Cauca Valleys)
🧭 Elevation: 1,200–2,000 m (3,940–6,560 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Dry inter-Andean forest, scrub, and semi-open woodland
🧬 Clade: Trochilini "Emeralds" (Andean hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Near Threatened (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic species with no recognized subspecies.

Distribution: Endemic to inter-Andean valleys of central Colombia, especially the upper Magdalena Valley (departments of Tolima and Huila) and the Cauca Valley (Cauca and Valle del Cauca). It occupies dry forests and scrubby hillsides, particularly where flowering shrubs and trees such as Inga and Erythrina are present.

Species Overview

The Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird is a small, striking Colombian endemic of dry Andean valleys. Its gleaming emerald-green upperparts and rich chestnut belly set it apart from all other hummingbirds in its range. Though locally uncommon, it is highly distinctive and often observed at flowering trees in semi-open habitats.

Male Description:
The male has bright metallic green upperparts, a glittering green throat, and deep chestnut-brown underparts extending from the breast to the undertail. The tail is bronzy with rufous edges, and the bill is short and black. In sunlight, the color contrast between the green and chestnut plumage is especially vivid.

Female Description:
The female is slightly duller, with a less extensive chestnut belly and a grayish throat lightly mottled with green. Her underparts are paler, and her tail feathers show more obvious rufous margins.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits dry inter-Andean forest, scrub, and semi-arid slopes, typically between 1,200 and 2,000 meters. It feeds mainly on nectar from native trees and shrubs and also gleans small insects. The Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird is solitary and sedentary, favoring areas where flowering resources are consistent year-round. Its sharp tsit calls can often be heard from open perches near flowering trees.

Conservation Note:
The Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Its limited range and continuing habitat loss from agriculture, grazing, and urban expansion remain significant threats, though local populations persist in reforested and secondary areas. Conservation work in the upper Magdalena Valley has improved outlooks for this species, including habitat restoration and the creation of private reserves such as Reserva Natural El Mirador. Protecting and connecting dry forest fragments remains essential for maintaining viable populations of this Trochilini endemic.