Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei)
Name Origin:
The genus Coeligena comes from Latin coelum (“heaven”) and -gena (“born of”), referring to the heavenly radiance of the group. The species name bonapartei honors Charles Lucien Bonaparte, the French naturalist and ornithologist who made major contributions to avian taxonomy.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in)
⚖️ Weight: 6.5–7.5 g (0.23–0.26 oz)
🌎 Range: Eastern Andes of Colombia
🧭 Elevation: 1,800–3,200 m (5,900–10,500 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forest and cloud forest edges
🧬 Clade: Heliantheini “Brilliants” (Andean montane hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic species — no recognized subspecies.
Distribution: Found exclusively along the Eastern Andes of Colombia, from Santander south to Cundinamarca and western Boyacá, typically between 1,800 and 3,200 meters elevation. It favors humid montane and cloud forests, especially forest edges and clearings rich in flowering shrubs.
Species Overview
The Golden-bellied Starfrontlet is a radiant Andean hummingbird named for its glowing golden-orange underparts and glittering blue forehead. It is one of the most visually striking highland species, representing the quintessential Coeligena form — sleek, iridescent, and adapted to cool, misty forests. Males are territorial, often defending flower patches and performing display flights along mountain slopes.
Male Description:
The male features brilliant golden-orange underparts, a deep blue forehead (“starfrontlet”), bronze-green upperparts, and a violet-bronze tail. The throat and breast transition from greenish-gold to copper, shining intensely in bright light.
Female Description:
The female is bronzy-green above and grayish below, with green spots on the chest and flanks. The tail is bronze with purple reflections, and she lacks the male’s intense blue crown and golden belly.
Habitat & Behavior:
Occupies humid montane and cloud forests, especially along forest edges and shrubby slopes. Commonly visits Fuchsia, Bomarea, and Palicourea flowers for nectar, and supplements its diet with small insects. Males defend feeding territories vigorously and often perch conspicuously between feeding bouts.
Conservation Note:
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Golden-bellied Starfrontlet remains locally common in suitable habitat across the Eastern Andes. Primary threats include deforestation and fragmentation of montane forests. The species occurs within several protected areas, including Chingaza National Park and El Cocuy National Park (Colombia). Preserving mid- to high-elevation cloud forest corridors is crucial for maintaining healthy populations of this luminous Heliantheini species.
