Purple-throated Woodstar (Philodice mitchellii)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Purple-throated Woodstar

Philodice mitchellii (Bourcier, 1847)

6.8–7.5 cmLength3.1 gWeight

Busiest months: February and November · Most records: Ecuador, Colombia

Where and when it's recorded

Purple-throated Woodstar has been recorded at 98 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Refugio Paz de las AvesEcuador3,112 records
  2. Alambi ReserveEcuador2,539 records
  3. Camino Montezuma – Montezuma Rainforest LodgeColombia2,494 records
More places
  1. Tandayapa Bird LodgeEcuador1,940 records
  2. La Florida - Bosque de Las AvesColombia1,477 records
  3. Finca Alejandría "El Paraiso de Los Colibries"Colombia1,353 records
  4. Sachatamia LodgeEcuador1,275 records
  5. Bellavista Cloud Forest LodgeEcuador1,237 records
  6. PNN Tatamá – Camino MontezumaColombia1,204 records
  7. Las Tangaras ProAves ReserveColombia1,199 records

Countries and regions with the most records

EcuadorColombia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Purple-throated Woodstar?

The Purple-throated Woodstar is about 6.8–7.5 cm long and weighs around 3.1 g.

Where does the Purple-throated Woodstar live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: eastern Panama to western Ecuador. It is most often recorded in Ecuador and Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Purple-throated Woodstar?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and November (Northern Hemisphere).

What does the Purple-throated Woodstar eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Purple-throated Woodstar in?

It belongs to the family Hummingbirds (Trochilidae), order Apodiformes.

At a glance

Length
6.8–7.5 cm
Weight
3.1 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
More measurements
Wing
36 mm
Tail
27 mm
Bill
17 mm
Tarsus
4 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America, South America: eastern Panama to western Ecuador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Philodice

Other birds in the genus Philodice

Magenta-throated WoodstarMagenta-throated WoodstarPhilodice bryantaeCrimson TopazCrimson TopazTopaza pellaFiery TopazFiery TopazTopaza pyraWhite-necked JacobinWhite-necked JacobinFlorisuga mellivoraBlack JacobinBlack JacobinFlorisuga fuscaWhite-tipped SicklebillWhite-tipped SicklebillEutoxeres aquilaBuff-tailed SicklebillBuff-tailed SicklebillEutoxeres condaminiSaw-billed HermitSaw-billed HermitRamphodon naeviusHook-billed HermitHook-billed HermitGlaucis dohrniiBronzy HermitBronzy HermitGlaucis aeneus
Purple-throated Woodstar

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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