The Diamantina sabrewing is a Near-threatened species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil.
Region
Espinhaço Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs in the highland campo rupestre and adjacent gallery forests of the Espinhaço Range in southeastern Brazil, mainly in Minas Gerais. It frequents rocky quartzite outcrops, shrubby montane grasslands, and forest edges where nectar-bearing plants are abundant. The species also uses riparian thickets and patches of secondary woodland during foraging bouts. It tends to be patchy and localized, tracking seasonal flowering in its specialized high-elevation habitats.
Altitude Range
900–1600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for the historic town of Diamantina in Minas Gerais, this large hummingbird is confined to the rocky campo rupestre of Brazil’s Espinhaço Range. Males have broadened primary feathers that give the group the name “sabrewing.” It is threatened by habitat loss and frequent fires, as well as mining and development on quartzite outcrops. Conservation attention focuses on protecting high-altitude shrublands and associated gallery forests.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Typically forages alone and males vigorously defend rich flowering patches. Nest is a small cup of plant fibers and down bound with spider silk, usually placed on a horizontal limb or fork in dense vegetation. Breeding is presumed to follow regional rainy-season flowering peaks, with the female solely responsible for incubation and chick care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are a series of high, thin chips and buzzy trills, often delivered from a low perch near feeding sites. The song can include rapid, squeaky phrases interspersed with mechanical wing sounds during display flights.
