Purple-collared woodstar

Appearance

The purple-collared woodstar is 7.5 to 8 cm long and weighs 2.3 to 2.5 g. Both sexes have a short, decurved, black bill. Their upperparts are bronze-green. Males have an iridescent aquamarine gorget with a shiny violet band below it. The rest of the underparts are dirty white. The long forked tail is dusky brown glossed with light green. The female's underparts are buff, with a bit of white on the throat and belly. Its tail is short and rounded; the central pair of feathers are blue-green, the next pair blue-green with black tips, and the rest black with white tips. The two subspecies are alike but for "M. f. megalura"'s longer tail.

Distribution

The nominate subspecies of purple-collared woodstar is found in western and southern Ecuador and western Peru all the way south to Arequipa Department. "M. f. megalura" is found in northern Peru from Cajamarca south to Huánuco. The species inhabits open landscapes such as dry coastal scrub, open woodlands, and gardens. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 3,000 m, though in Ecuador it is mostly found between 1,000 and 2,000 m.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the purple-collared woodstar as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population size is not known, it is believed to be stable. It is considered common throughout its range and readily accepts human-made landscapes like gardens and cultivated areas.

Habitat

The nominate subspecies of purple-collared woodstar is found in western and southern Ecuador and western Peru all the way south to Arequipa Department. "M. f. megalura" is found in northern Peru from Cajamarca south to Huánuco. The species inhabits open landscapes such as dry coastal scrub, open woodlands, and gardens. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 3,000 m, though in Ecuador it is mostly found between 1,000 and 2,000 m.

Reproduction

The purple-collared woodstar breeds between March and June in Ecuador and June to October in Peru. Males make a semicircular courting display flight. Females build a tiny cup nest of plant fibers and spiderweb in a fork of a thin branch. It is typically placed 2 to 4 m above the ground, but sometimes higher. The female incubates the clutch of two eggs for 15 to 16 days; fledging occurs 19 to 22 days after hatch.

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Songs and calls

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Food

The purple-collared woodstar feeds on nectar by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of flowering plants. It also feeds on small insects captured on the wing.