Violet-headed Hummingbird
Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti)
Name Origin:
The genus Klais has uncertain etymology but is possibly derived from a personal name. The species epithet guimeti honors French naturalist Joseph Guimet.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 7.5–9 cm (3.0–3.5 in)
⚖️ Weight: 2.8–3.5 g (0.10–0.12 oz)
🌎 Range: Eastern Honduras through Panama, northern and western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and down to central Bolivia
🧭 Elevation: 400–1,700 m (1,300–5,600 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small arthropods
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland to foothill forests, forest edges, and tall secondary growth
🧬 Clade: Trochilini – Emeralds
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Three subspecies:
Klais guimeti merrittii
Distribution: Eastern Honduras to eastern Panama, inhabiting lowland forests and foothills along the Caribbean slope.Klais guimeti guimeti
Distribution: Sierra de Perijá, northern and western Venezuela, and into the eastern Andes of Colombia and Ecuador to extreme northern Peru.Klais guimeti pallidiventris
Distribution: Eastern slope of the Andes from northern Peru (Amazonas) south through central Bolivia (Cochabamba), occupying humid foothill forests.
Species Overview
The Violet-headed Hummingbird is a small, energetic hummingbird named for its iridescent violet crown, which is most vivid in males. It thrives in the midstory and canopy edges of tropical forests, often foraging high in the trees for nectar and insects. Males are territorial around feeding sites, while females range more widely. Their tail-flicking behavior and buzzy calls make them easy to detect despite their size.
Male Description:
Brilliant violet-blue crown and sides of the head, shining green back and underparts, and a small dark tail. The flanks may appear slightly golden-green. The straight, slender bill is black.
Female Description:
Less vibrant than the male with a green back, pale grayish underparts, and a hint of violet on the crown. Tail slightly notched with dusky tips.
Habitat & Behavior:
Commonly seen in semi-open tropical forests, edges, and regenerating areas, especially where tall flowering trees or shrubs are abundant. Often visits Inga, Clusia, and other canopy-level flowers. Known for hovering at mid to high levels and occasionally joining mixed-species flocks.
Conservation Note:
The Violet-headed Hummingbird remains widespread and locally common throughout much of its range, though habitat loss in some regions has caused localized declines. Protected areas and forest corridors are essential for maintaining stable populations.
Below is the Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti merrittii)
Photographed at Nectar & Pollen Reserve, Limón; Rancho Naturalista, Cartago; and Esquipulas Rainforest Lodge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
These individuals belong to the subspecies merrittii, which ranges from eastern Honduras south to eastern Panama, primarily on the Caribbean slope. It is found in lowland and premontane forests between 400 and 1,200 meters. This subspecies features bright green upperparts and a richer violet head sheen in males. It frequently forages in flowering trees and forest borders.
Below is the Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti pallidiventris)
Photographed at Waqanki/Quebrada Mishquiyaquillo, San Martín, Peru
These individuals belong to the subspecies pallidiventris, which inhabits the eastern slope of the Andes from northern Peru (Amazonas and San Martín) south to central Bolivia. It is generally found in humid foothill forests between 500 and 1,500 meters. This form typically shows slightly paler underparts and a more subdued violet crown compared to northern forms.
