The violet sabrewing is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of the subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from Mexico to Panama.
Region
Mesoamerica
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica to western Panama. Favors humid montane and pre-montane forests, especially cloud forest edges, ravines, and along streams. Also uses secondary forest, forest edges, and shaded plantations where flowering shrubs and heliconias are abundant. Often moves locally along elevation gradients tracking bloom cycles. Common at forested roadsides and gardens near intact habitat.
Altitude Range
600–2400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
One of the largest hummingbirds in Mesoamerica, the violet sabrewing is famed for the male’s luminous violet plumage. Its name comes from the thickened, flattened outer primary feathers that form a “sabre” and create a loud wing-whirr in flight. It often performs short, aggressive chases while defending rich flower patches and readily visits Heliconia stands and garden feeders.
Temperament
assertive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with strong hovering; swift darting flights
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary at flowers, with males vigorously defending nectar-rich patches. Courtship involves display flights and frequent vocalizing from prominent perches. The female builds a small cup nest of plant fibers bound with spider silk, usually on a sheltered horizontal branch or bank near a stream. Clutch is typically two eggs, and the female alone incubates and feeds the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A series of sharp, metallic chips and squeaky twitters given from shaded perches, especially at dawn. Wings produce a loud, distinctive whirr during close passes and displays.
Plumage
Male with shimmering violet head, throat, breast, and belly, green upperparts, and blackish wings; tail dark with conspicuous white corners. Female green above with grayish underparts, whitish throat mottling, and white-tipped outer tail feathers. Both sexes have iridescent sheen and the characteristic sabre-like outer primaries.
Diet
Primarily consumes nectar from a wide variety of tubular flowers, including Heliconia, Inga, and many epiphytes. Supplements diet with small arthropods captured by hawking or gleaning from foliage. Often practices trap-lining between reliable flower patches but will also hold and defend rich resources. Readily visits garden feeders in its range.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, clearings with flowering shrubs, ravines, and shaded plantations. Frequently forages at mid-levels to understory but will ascend to the canopy when flowers are abundant.
