Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini)
Name Origin:
The genus Urosticte is derived from Greek oura meaning “tail” and stiktos meaning “spotted,” referring to the white-tipped tail feathers. The species name benjamini honors Benjamin Leadbeater, a 19th-century British natural history dealer.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~4.2–4.6 g (0.15–0.16 oz)
🌎 Range: Western Andes of Colombia and Ecuador
🧭 Elevation: 1,200–2,400 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid cloud forest, especially edges and clearings
🧬 Clade: Heliantheini (a.k.a. “brilliants”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic — no subspecies recognized.
Species Overview
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is a striking and localized hummingbird of the Andean cloud forests. Males are instantly recognized by their glittering purple gorget and bright white tail tips, which flash during rapid darting flights. The species favors mossy forest edges and flowering clearings and is often seen in the midstory or canopy. It is fast-moving, vocal, and territorial around dense patches of flowering shrubs.
Male Description:
Dark green upperparts, deep purple gorget, and white-tipped black tail. The underparts are dusky with a faint greenish sheen. Bill is short, straight, and black.
Female Description:
Lacks the purple gorget. Green above with pale underparts, often spotted or scaled with green. Like the male, has white-tipped tail feathers, though more subdued in contrast.
Habitat & Behavior:
Inhabits humid cloud forest and adjacent edges, often from mid-elevation zones. Feeds at flowering trees and shrubs, both by hovering and by briefly perching. Frequently returns to favored foraging routes and may defend territories during peak bloom periods. Its small size and high-energy flight make it a challenge to follow in the dense forest understory.
Conservation Note:
Though it has a relatively limited range, the species remains locally common in suitable habitat and is present in several protected areas. Ongoing threats include deforestation and habitat fragmentation, but populations are currently considered stable.
The Purple-bibbed Whitetip is a species of hummingbird endemic to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. It is known for its striking plumage, with the male sporting a vibrant purple throat patch, or "bib," contrasting with its mainly green body. The female, on the other hand, has a more subtle coloration with a whitish throat and greenish body.
These hummingbirds primarily feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, using their long, slender bills to extract the sweet liquid. They are an important pollinator in their ecosystem, aiding in the reproduction of flowering plants. In addition to nectar, they also consume small insects and spiders for protein.
The Purple-bibbed Whitip is known for its agile flight, able to hover in place and quickly change direction with precision. Their distinctive buzzing sound is often the first sign of their presence in the area.
