White-bearded Helmetcrest

Oxypogon lindenii

Hummingbirds · Apodiformes · Legendary

The White-bearded Helmetcrest (Oxypogon lindenii) is a legendary hummingbird found only in Venezuela, weighing about 5 g. The white-bearded helmetcrest is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.

Near ThreatenedLegendaryEndemicEats nectarshrublandcavity nest5 g

About the White-bearded Helmetcrest

The white-bearded helmetcrest is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to northwestern Venezuela.

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

How to identify it

The white-bearded helmetcrest is about 11.5 cm (4.5 in) long and weighs about 4.8 g (0.17 oz). It has a short straight bill. The adult male has a long black and white crest and a mostly black face with a wide white "collar". Its upperparts are bronzy green with a slight gray scaly appearance. It has a long thin white "beard". The rest of the underparts are dingy gray with green spots. The tail is moderately long and forked. The upper side of its central feathers are olive green and the rest dusky; the underside of the feathers are maroon with white shafts and some narrow white at the base. Voice: The white-bearded helmetcrest's song is "a repeated, high-pitched, slightly buzzy, single note 'tzee' or 'peek'" that it sings repeatedly from a perch on a small shrub during the breeding season.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a White-bearded Helmetcrest?
The white-bearded helmetcrest is about 11.5 cm (4.5 in) long and weighs about 4.8 g (0.17 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a White-bearded Helmetcrest?
The White-bearded Helmetcrest is a tiny sized bird weighing about 5 g.
Where can you see a White-bearded Helmetcrest?
The White-bearded Helmetcrest is endemic to Venezuela, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a White-bearded Helmetcrest?
The White-bearded Helmetcrest is most easily confused with the Blue-bearded Helmetcrest, the Green-bearded Helmetcrest and the Buffy Helmetcrest.
Is the White-bearded Helmetcrest endangered?
The White-bearded Helmetcrest is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the White-bearded Helmetcrest for real

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