The mountain velvetbreast is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs along the Andes of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and northern Peru, primarily in humid montane and cloud forests, forest edges, and shrubby clearings. It frequents elfin forest and the upper montane zone, often along ravines and flowering hedgerows. The species uses secondary growth and roadsides when nectar sources are abundant. It may move upslope or downslope seasonally following blooms, but generally remains within the montane belt.
Altitude Range
1500–3500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The mountain velvetbreast is a medium-sized hummingbird of the Andean cloud forests, belonging to the 'brilliants' (tribe Heliantheini). It often makes short altitudinal movements to track flowering peaks. Males defend rich flower patches vigorously, while females handle all nest building and incubation.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with precise hovering
Social Behavior
Males defend nectar-rich flowering shrubs and trees, chasing intruders vigorously. Nesting is by the female, who builds a small cup nest of plant fibers and spider silk placed on a sheltered branch or fork. Pairs are not strongly bonded outside the breeding period.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are thin, high-pitched chips and twitters, often given from a perch near favored flowers. Wing-buzz and short display trills may accompany chases and territorial interactions.
Plumage
Iridescent green upperparts with a velvety, darker green to blackish breast in males; females show paler underparts with green spotting or scaling. Both sexes have a slender, slightly decurved bill and a moderately long tail, females often with pale tips on the outer tail feathers.
Diet
Primarily consumes nectar from tubular and pendant flowers of shrubs and trees, inserting its long bill to reach deep corollas. Supplements nectar with small arthropods for protein, gleaned from foliage or caught in short sallies. It visits a sequence of flowering plants as seasonal blooms shift along elevation gradients.
Preferred Environment
Forages at forest edges, along streams, and in clearings with abundant flowering shrubs. Frequently uses ecotones where sunlit flowers are dense, including gardens and roadside hedgerows in montane zones.
