About the Mexican Violetear
The Mexican violetear is a medium-sized, metallic green hummingbird species commonly found in forested areas from Mexico to Nicaragua. This species, together with the lesser violetear were previously considered conspecific, and together called the green violetear.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The Mexican violetear is roughly medium-sized by hummingbird standards. It averages around 9.7 to 12 cm (3.8 to 4.7 in) in total length. Its bill is black and mostly straight with only a slight downward curve and measures from 1.8 to 2.5 cm (0.71 to 0.98 in). The body mass can vary from 4.8 to 5.6 g (0.17 to 0.20 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 5.8 to 6.8 cm (2.3 to 2.7 in) and the tail is 3.5 to 4.3 cm (1.4 to 1.7 in). The bird has a wingspan of 12 cm. It is shining green above with a glittering violet ear-patch on the sides of its neck. Voice: Solitary males sing from above, exposed twigs in their territory every day. Their song is a monotonously repeated sharp and dry "tsu-tzeek" at a rate of about one call per second.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Peru, Ecuador, Canada.
When to see it
Peak activity in January · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
White-vented VioletearColibri serrirostrisThe white-vented violetear is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 5.6 to 6.8 g (0.20 to 0.24 oz).
Brown VioletearColibri delphinaeThe brown violetear is a large hummingbird that breeds at middle elevations in the mountains in Central America, and western and northern South America with isolated populations on Trinidad and in the Brazilian state Bahia.
Lesser VioletearColibri cyanotusThe lesser violetear is roughly medium-sized by hummingbird standards.
Learn the Mexican Violetear for real
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