The fork-tailed woodnymph is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Region
Amazon Basin and eastern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs across most of the Amazon Basin and the Guianas, extending into eastern and southeastern Brazil and along the eastern Andean foothills in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It inhabits lowland and foothill humid forests, forest edges, riparian thickets, and second-growth. Often found in the shaded understory but also frequents light gaps and clearings with abundant flowers. Readily visits flowering trees and shrubs in gardens near forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shimmering hummingbird of the emeralds tribe, the fork-tailed woodnymph is named for the male’s distinctly forked dark tail. Males show glowing green with bluish tones, while females are green above and pale below with white tail tips. It occupies a wide swath of tropical South America and is typically a year-round resident. Males often defend rich flowering patches vigorously from other nectar feeders.
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Typically solitary at feeding sites, with males aggressively defending nectar-rich flowers. Courtship involves aerial chases and display flights; some populations show loose leks. The female builds a small cup nest of plant down and spider silk on a horizontal branch, usually in the forest understory near water. Clutch is typically two white eggs, with the female handling incubation and care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are high, thin chips and buzzy notes delivered from low perches. Males give rapid tick-tick and tsee sequences during territorial interactions, with a faint, wiry trill interspersed between feeding bouts.
