Chilean Woodstar
Chilean Woodstar (Eulidia yarrellii)
Name Origin:
The genus name Eulidia is derived from Greek eu- meaning “good” or “true” and lidios meaning “graceful.” The species name yarrellii honors William Yarrell, a British naturalist and ornithologist known for his seminal work A History of British Birds (1837).
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 7–7.5 cm (2.8–3.0 in)
⚖️ Weight: 2–2.5 g (0.07–0.09 oz)
🌎 Range: Endemic to northern Chile (Elqui and Lluta valleys)
🧭 Elevation: 200–1,000 m (660–3,280 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Arid river valleys with desert scrub, riparian vegetation, and flowering shrubs
🧬 Clade: Mellisugini "Bees" (small North and South American hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic species with no recognized subspecies.
Distribution: Endemic to northern Chile, historically found in the Elqui, Limarí, and Huasco valleys of the Coquimbo Region. Today, it survives mainly in the Lluta and Azapa valleys of the Arica and Parinacota Region and in remnant patches of vegetation along the lower Elqui River. Its preferred habitat includes riparian desert scrub and irrigated farmland with native flowering plants such as Nolana, Heliotropium, and Cereus.
Species Overview
The Chilean Woodstar is a tiny, critically endangered hummingbird that represents Chile’s only endemic hummingbird species. It is closely related to the Peruvian Sheartail (Thaumastura cora), which has expanded its range southward, contributing to the woodstar’s decline through competition and hybridization. Once common in northern river valleys, the species now numbers fewer than a thousand mature individuals.
Male Description:
The male has bright metallic green upperparts, a white belly, and a vivid magenta-pink gorget that can appear purple depending on light. The tail is deeply forked and dark bronze, and the wings are dusky. The bill is short and straight, black in color. During display, the male performs hovering flights, fanning his tail and flashing his iridescent throat.
Female Description:
The female has green upperparts, a white underside with buffy flanks, and a shorter, slightly forked tail tipped with white. She lacks the male’s colorful throat patch.
Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits arid desert valleys and oases where riparian vegetation provides flowering resources year-round. It feeds on nectar from native and cultivated plants, including Nicotiana, Heliotropium, and Prosopis, and also catches small insects mid-air. The Chilean Woodstar is largely sedentary, though it may make local movements in response to flower availability. It often perches openly on dry branches between feeding bouts.
Conservation Note:
The Chilean Woodstar is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 500 individuals remaining. Its decline is driven by habitat loss, pesticide use, and competition from the Peruvian Sheartail (Thaumastura cora).
Since 2003, AvesChile has documented a steep population drop from around 1,500 to below 500 individuals. In April 2025, the International Hummingbird Society, in partnership with ROC (Red de Observadores de Aves y Vida Silvestre de Chile), launched a habitat restoration initiative in the Chaca Valley. The project focuses on creating microreserves to protect key breeding and feeding sites near the Arica Hummingbird Natural Monument.
The first 40-acre reserve includes irrigation infrastructure and reforestation plans with 1,000 native trees provided by CONAF. This marks the first phase of long-term restoration, aiming to revive essential riparian vegetation for nesting and feeding. Future efforts will expand restoration, maintain habitats, and safeguard the last strongholds of this tiny hummingbird.
Continued support and land protection are vital to prevent extinction and ensure the Chilean Woodstar’s survival in the Atacama’s fragile oasis ecosystems.
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