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Violetear
Sparkling violetear, Colibri coruscans
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Strisores
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Subfamily:	Polytminae
Genus:	Colibri Spix, 1824
Type species
Trochilus serrirostris Vieillot, 1816
Species
5, see text

The violetears are hummingbirds of the genus Colibri. They are medium to large species found in Mexico, and Central and northern South America. The Mexican violetear occasionally wanders as far north as the United States and even Canada.

Violetears have ample rounded tails and short or medium black bills. Three of the four species have a mainly green plumage. The males have a violet blue patch running back and down from the eye, which is erected when they are excited, and a glittering throat patch. The female plumage is generally like the male's, but the ear and throat patches are smaller.

Violetears build substantial cup nests into which two white eggs are laid. They have loud persistent songs, often repetitions of double notes.

These birds come readily to artificial nectar feeders, and show no fear of humans. They are aggressively territorial, and at feeders or flowering shrubs they spend much time chasing other hummingbirds, rather than feeding.

Species

The genus contains five species:

Genus Violetear – Spix, 1824 – five species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Brown violetear	Colibri delphinae (Lesson, 1839)	Mexico to northern and western South America	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Mexican violetear	Colibri thalassinus (Swainson, 1827)	Mexico to northwestern Nicaragua	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Lesser violetear	Colibri cyanotus (Bourcier, 1843) Four subspecies C. c. cabanidis (Heine), 1863) C. c. cyanotus (Bourcier, 1843) C. c. kerdeli Aveledo & Perez, 1991 C. c. crissalis Todd, 1942	Costa Rica, Panama, and the Andes (from Bolivia and northwards)	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Sparkling violetear	Colibri coruscans (Gould, 1846) Two subspecies C. c. coruscans C. c. germanus	The Andes (from Argentina and northwards)	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
White-vented violetear	Colibri serrirostris (Vieillot, 1816)	Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC

References

1. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 January 2020.

• Hilty, Birds of Venezuela, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
• Birds of the World, 1999 Edition ISBN 9780862838065

v t e Genera of nightjars, hummingbirds, swifts and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Passerea Clade: Strisores
Strisores †Archaeotrogonidae Archaeodromus Archaeotrogon Hassiavis Caprimulgiformes †"Wyomingcypselus" Caprimulgidae †Ventivorus Caprimulginae Antrostomus Caprimulgus Eleothreptus Gactornis Hydropsalis Macropsalis Nyctidromus Nyctiphrynus Nyctipolus Phalaenoptilus Setopagis Siphonorhis Systellura Uropsalis Veles Chordeilinae Chordeiles Lurocalis Nyctiprogne Eurostopodinae Eurostopodus Lyncornis Vanescaves Sedentaves Steatornithiformes †Euronyctibius †Prefica †Protocypselomorphus †Fluvioviridavidae Fluvioviridavis Steatornithidae Steatornis Nyctibiiformes Nyctibiidae †Parapreficinae Paraprefica Nyctibiinae Nyctibius Phyllaemulor Letornithes Podargiformes Podargiformes †Masillapodargus †Quercypodargus Podargidae Batrachostomus Podargus Rigidipenna Apodimorphae See below ↓
Apodimorphae †Eocypselidae Eocypselus Daedalornithes incertae sedis †Palescyvus Aegotheliformes †Quipollornis Aegothelidae Aegotheles Apodiformes †Cypseloramphus? †Aegialornithidae Aegialornis Primapus Procuculus? †Cypselavidae Argornis Cypselavus Parargornis †Jungornithidae Jungornis Trochiloidea See below ↓ Apodidae See below ↓
Trochiloidea incertae sedis †Eurotrochilus Trochilidae Florisuginae Florisuga Topaza Phaethornithinae Anopetia Eutoxeres Glaucis Phaethornis Ramphodon Threnetes Polytminae Androdon Anthracothorax Augastes Avocettula Chrysolampis Colibri Doryfera Eulampis Heliactin Heliothryx Polytmus Schistes Polytminae Heliantheini Aglaeactis Boissonneaua Coeligena Eriocnemis Ensifera Haplophaedia Heliodoxa Lafresnaya Loddigesia Ocreatus Pterophanes Urochroa Urosticte Lesbiini Adelomyia Aglaiocercus Chalcostigma Discosura Heliangelus Lesbia Lophornis Metallura Opisthoprora Oreonympha Oreotrochilus Oxypogon Phlogophilus Polyonymus Ramphomicron Sappho Sephanoides Taphrolesbia Patagoninae Patagona Trochilinae Trochilini Abeillia Amazilia Amazilis Anthocephala Basilinna Campylopterus Chalybura Chionomesa Chlorestes Chlorostilbon Chrysuronia Cynanthus Elliotomyia Eupetomena Eupherusa Goldmania Hylocharis Klais Leucippus Leucochloris Microchera Orthorhyncus Pampa Phaeochroa Phaeoptila Polyerata Ramosomyia Riccordia Saucerottia Stephanoxis Talaphorus Taphrospilus Thalurania Thaumasius Trochilus Uranomitra Lampornithini Eugenes Heliomaster Hylonympha Lampornis Lamprolaima Panterpe Sternoclyta Mellisugini Archilochus Calliphlox Calothorax Calypte Chaetocercus Doricha Eulidia Mellisuga Microstilbon Myrmia Myrtis Nesophlox Philodice Rhodopis Selasphorus Thaumastura Tilmatura
Apodi incertae sedis †Laputavis †Procypseloides †Scaniacypselus Hemiprocnidae Hemiprocne Apodidae Apodinae Apodini Aeronautes Apus Cypsiurus Panyptila Tachornis Tachymarptis Chaeturini Chaetura Hirundapus Mearnsia Neafrapus Rhaphidura Telacanthura Zoonavena Collocaliini Aerodramus Collocalia Hydrochous Schoutedenapus Cypseloidinae Cypseloides Streptoprocne

• Violetears