Violet-tailed Sylph
Aglaiocercus coelestis
The Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) is a uncommon hummingbird found in 2 countries, weighing about 6 g. The violet-tailed sylph is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.
About the Violet-tailed Sylph
The violet-tailed sylph is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The male long-tailed sylphs are 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long including the 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) outer tail feathers. Females are 9.5 to 9.7 cm (3.7 to 3.8 in) long. The species weighs 4.6 to 5.2 g (0.16 to 0.18 oz). Both subspecies have a short black bill. Males of the nominate subspecies have a shining green crown and back, that becomes violet-blue on the rump. They have a buffy spot behind the eye, a violet-blue gorget, and green underparts. The inner tail feathers are short and the outer ones very long, and the feathers are iridescent metallic violet with blue tips. Voice: The violet-tailed sylph's apparent song is "a continuous series of short notes, 'psit..psit..psit..'." Its calls include "a repeated, short, buzzy single or double 'bzzt' or 'bz-zzrt'...a higher-pitched drawn-out 'bzeee' a high-pitched falling/rising twittering 'seee..seee..seee..seee..tr-tr-tititi-teetsee..see..see'."
Where it lives
When to see it
The Violet-tailed Sylph can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the Violet-tailed Sylph on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Violet-tailed Sylph?
- The male long-tailed sylphs are 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long including the 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) outer tail feathers. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Violet-tailed Sylph?
- The Violet-tailed Sylph is a tiny sized bird weighing about 6 g.
- Where can you see a Violet-tailed Sylph?
- The Violet-tailed Sylph occurs in 2 countries, including Ecuador and Colombia.
- What birds look similar to a Violet-tailed Sylph?
- The Violet-tailed Sylph is most easily confused with the Long-tailed Sylph and the Venezuelan Sylph.
- Is the Violet-tailed Sylph endangered?
- The Violet-tailed Sylph is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Violet-tailed Sylph for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.