Southern Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Southern Giant Hummingbird

Patagona gigas (Vieillot, 1824)

20 gWeight

The southern giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is one of two species in the genus Patagona and the second largest hummingbird species, after its close relative the northern giant hummingbird.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Southern Giant Hummingbird has been recorded at 105 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Tambo Cóndor Bird LodgeEcuador2,474 records
  2. Humedal Lucre-HuacarpayPeru1,707 records
  3. Estero MantaguaChile793 records
More places
  1. Santuario de Colibríes – Ensifera CampPeru789 records
  2. AntisanaEcuador582 records
  3. PutreChile453 records
  4. Reserva Antisana – flujo de lava, mirador del cóndor, y alrededoresEcuador367 records
  5. SocoromaChile328 records
  6. Sitio Arqueológico TambomachayPeru310 records
  7. PN La Campana – OcoaChile239 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ChileEcuadorPeruBoliviaArgentina

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

About

The southern giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is one of two species in the genus Patagona and the second largest hummingbird species, after its close relative the northern giant hummingbird.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Southern Giant Hummingbird?

The Southern Giant Hummingbird weighs around 20 g.

Where does the Southern Giant Hummingbird live?

Its breeding range: South America: breeds central, southern Chile and west-central Argentina; migrates northward to central Peruvian Andes. It is most often recorded in Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

When is the best time to see the Southern Giant Hummingbird?

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

Is the Southern Giant Hummingbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Giant Hummingbird as Least Concern.

What does the Southern Giant Hummingbird eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Southern Giant Hummingbird in?

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

At a glance

Weight
20 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
136 mm
Tail
86 mm
Bill
45 mm
Tarsus
8 mm

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

Range

South America: breeds central, southern Chile and west-central Argentina; migrates northward to central Peruvian Andes

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Patagona

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Southern Giant Hummingbird

Download illustration

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

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