Santa Marta Sabrewing

Common name: Santa Marta Sabrewing
Scientific name: Campylopterus phainopeplus
Clades: Trochilini - Emeralds

A jewel of the Colombian highlands, the Santa Marta Sabrewing is critically endangered and endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. Measuring 11 to 12.5 cm (4.3 to 4.9 in) and weighing 6.5 to 7.5 grams (0.23 to 0.26 oz), it is one of the rarest hummingbirds in the world—and one of the most remarkable rediscoveries in modern ornithology.

Male Description:
The male is striking, with brilliant emerald green upperparts, a deep violet-blue throat, and dark underparts. Its long, slightly forked tail and broad sabre-shaped outer primaries add to its bold silhouette. The straight black bill is designed for sipping nectar from montane blooms.

Female Description:
The female is more subdued, with paler green upperparts, grayish underparts, and shorter throat feathers. She retains the same wing structure and tail shape, with lighter-tipped tail feathers.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits humid montane forests and the edges of these forests, between 1,200 and 1,800 meters (3,940–5,900 feet). Like other sabrewings, it feeds on nectar and insects and often perches conspicuously while foraging.

Conservation Note:
Once feared extinct, the Santa Marta Sabrewing had not been seen since 2010 and was known from only a handful of records. Miraculously, it was rediscovered in July 2022, when a male was photographed in the wild, only the second documented sighting in over a decade. With a known population likely under 50 individuals, urgent habitat protection in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is critical for its survival.