The rufous-vented whitetip is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs on humid Andean slopes and in cloud forests, especially along forest edges, clearings with flowering shrubs, and shady ravines near streams. It favors dense understory and midstory strata where tubular flowers are abundant. Often found in semi-open montane habitats and second growth adjacent to primary forest. Local movement may track blooming cycles, but populations are generally sedentary within suitable habitat.
Altitude Range
600–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small hummingbird of Andean cloud forests is named for its rufous-colored vent and the crisp white tips on the tail, which flash during short, darting flights. Males often defend rich flower patches, while females quietly forage along forest edges and ravines. It is occasionally seen at high-elevation feeders in parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Temperament
territorial and alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary while foraging, with males defending productive flower patches from rivals. Breeding involves the female constructing a small cup nest of plant fibers and moss, typically placed on a sheltered branch over a ravine or stream. Clutches are usually two eggs, with incubation and chick-rearing by the female.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are high, thin chips and rapid twitters given during foraging and brief chases. Wings produce a soft mechanical hum during close passes, especially noticeable near feeding territories.
Plumage
Iridescent green upperparts and breast with a contrasting rufous vent and undertail coverts; tail dark with conspicuous white tips, especially in the male. Females tend to show paler underparts with green spotting or scaling and the same rufous vent, with slightly narrower white tail tips.
Diet
Feeds primarily on nectar from tubular flowers such as Andean shrubs and epiphytes, probing while hovering. Also supplements diet with small arthropods, hawking tiny insects in midair or gleaning from foliage for protein. Selects flowering plants seasonally and may shift microhabitats as blooms move upslope or downslope.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the understory to mid-canopy along forest edges, gaps, and streamside thickets where flowers are concentrated. Frequently visits flowering hedgerows and second-growth patches adjacent to mature cloud forest.
