Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Phaeochroa cuvierii

Least ConcernUncommonNectarTiny · 9 g

About the Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

The scaly-breasted hummingbird or scaly-breasted sabrewing is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

The scaly-breasted hummingbird is 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 in) long and weighs about 8 to 10 g (0.28 to 0.35 oz). All of the subspecies except P. c. roberti have a mostly black bill with a pink base to the mandible; roberti's is all black. Males and females of all subspecies have the same plumage but females have a longer bill. The nominate subspecies P. c. cuvierii is the smallest and palest subspecies. It is mostly bronzy green with a grayish buff belly. The feathers of the underparts have buffy edges that give a scaly appearance. Voice: The scaly-breasted hummingbird's song is "a loud, variable, continuous warble...a mix of chips, sharp squeaks and short trills or sputters". During chases it makes "a high-pitched descending trill" and other calls include "a repeated short burry 'trrk', wet 'tlek', and a more emphatic 'chick'."

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it lives

Regular range

When to see it

Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

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