Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis)
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Violet-tailed Sylph

Aglaiocercus coelestis (Gould, 1861)

9.5–9.7 cmLength5.6 gWeight

The violet-tailed sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.

Most records: Ecuador, Colombia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Violet-tailed Sylph has been recorded at 68 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 AvesEcuador4,404 records
  2. Reserva Mashpi-AmagusaEcuador3,152 records
  3. Camino Montezuma – Montezuma Rainforest LodgeColombia2,263 records
More places
  1. Sachatamia LodgeEcuador2,014 records
  2. Bellavista Cloud Forest LodgeEcuador1,829 records
  3. Tandayapa Bird LodgeEcuador1,815 records
  4. Camino Montezuma – Los CajonesColombia1,799 records
  5. PNN Tatamá – Camino MontezumaColombia1,644 records
  6. Las Tangaras ProAves ReserveColombia1,587 records
  7. PNN Tatamá – Base Militar MontezumaColombia1,299 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.

About

The violet-tailed sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

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

Questions

How big is the Violet-tailed Sylph?

The Violet-tailed Sylph is about 9.5–9.7 cm long and weighs around 5.6 g.

Where does the Violet-tailed Sylph live?

Its breeding range: South America: Colombia and Ecuador. It is most often recorded in Ecuador and Colombia.

Is the Violet-tailed Sylph endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Violet-tailed Sylph as Least Concern.

What does the Violet-tailed Sylph eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Violet-tailed Sylph in?

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

At a glance

Length
9.5–9.7 cm
Weight
5.6 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
62 mm
Tail
92 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
6 mm

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

Range

South America: Colombia and Ecuador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Aglaiocercus

Other birds in the genus Aglaiocercus

Long-tailed SylphLong-tailed SylphAglaiocercus kingiiVenezuelan SylphVenezuelan SylphAglaiocercus berlepschiCrimson 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 dohrnii
Violet-tailed Sylph

Download illustration

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

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