Rufous-shafted Woodstar
Rufous-shafted Woodstar (Chaetocercus jourdanii)
Name Origin:
The genus Chaetocercus combines the Greek chaite (hair or bristle) and kerkos (tail), referring to the bristly appearance of the tail feathers. The species name jourdanii honors French naturalist Claude Jourdan.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 6.5–7.5 cm (2.6–3.0 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~2.5–3.0 g (0.09–0.11 oz)
🌎 Range: Northern Venezuela, Trinidad, and northeastern Colombia
🧭 Elevation: 600–2,200 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forest, forest edge, and secondary growth
🧬 Clade: Mellisugini (a.k.a. “bees”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Three subspecies:
Chaetocercus jourdanii jourdanii
Distribution: Northeastern Venezuela (mountains of Sucre and northern Monagas); TrinidadChaetocercus jourdanii rosae
Distribution: Highlands of northern Venezuela (Falcón to Miranda)Chaetocercus jourdanii andinus
Distribution: Sierra de Perijá, Andes of western Venezuela (Lara to Táchira), and eastern Andes of northern Colombia
Species Overview
The Rufous-shafted Woodstar is a small, compact hummingbird with a distinctive bumblebee-like flight. Males have shimmering plumage with a glittering violet-pink gorget and short tail. Unlike many hummingbirds, this species often hovers motionless for several seconds, which helps it stand out. It is frequently seen darting among flowering shrubs in foothill and montane habitats.
Male Description:
Bright iridescent violet throat, green crown and upperparts, rufous underparts, and short wings that extend past the tail. Tail is short and slightly notched. Rufous shafts on the wing feathers give the species its name.
Female Description:
Buffy below with green upperparts, a pale throat with some faint spotting, and buffy flanks. Tail is short with rufous bases and dark terminal band.
Habitat & Behavior:
Found in forest edges, clearings, gardens, and montane scrub, especially between 1,000 and 2,000 meters. Males often sing from exposed perches, and both sexes forage on small flowers in the understory and canopy. Known for its insect-like hovering and rapid, darting movements.
Conservation Note:
Widespread across northern South America with a stable population. Although some subspecies are more localized, the species shows adaptability to semi-open and disturbed habitats. It benefits from protected areas across its range and currently faces no major threats.
Below is the Rufous-shafted Woodstar (Chaetocercus jourdanii andinus)
Female photographed at Manaure Balcón del Cesar, Serranía del Perijá, Colombia
These individuals belong to the subspecies andinus, which occurs in the Sierra de Perijá and along the eastern Andes of northern Colombia and adjacent western Venezuela. This form is consistent with others in the species but is geographically isolated in montane ridges and cloud forest edge. Males show the characteristic violet throat and rufous wing shafts, while females are pale below with muted spotting.
