Buff-bellied Hummingbird
A species of Hummingbird Scientific name : Amazilia yucatanensis Genus : Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird, A species of Hummingbird
Botanical name: Amazilia yucatanensis
Genus: Hummingbird
Content
Description General Info
Description
The buff-bellied hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis) is a medium-sized hummingbird. It is 10–11 cm (3.9–4.3 in) long and has a mass of 4–5 g (0.14–0.18 oz). Adults are a metallic olive green above and buffy in the lower breast. The tail and primary wings are rufous in colour and slightly forked. The underwing is white. The bill of the male is straight and very slender. It is red in colouration with a darker tip. The throat is a metallic golden green. The female has a dark upper bill, and is less colourful than the male. Their breeding habitat is forests and thickets that extend from the lower Rio Grande Valley of southernmost Texas in the United States through the Yucatán Peninsula of eastern Mexico, ending in northern Belize and northwestern Guatemala in Central America. It prefers pine-oak forests, semi-arid scrub and thickets along watercourses. The female builds a nest in a protected location such as a shrub or tree. Both males and females of any age aggressively defend feeding locations within his or her territory. Females lay two white eggs. This hummingbird is partially migratory. The buff-bellied hummingbird winters in small numbers along the Gulf Coast of the United States from Texas to the Florida panhandle. These birds feed on nectar from flowers and flowering trees using a long extendable tongue and catch insects on the wing.
Size
10-13 cm (4-5 in)
Colors
Brown
Black
Green
Red
Gold
Bronze
Gray
White
Orange
Life Expectancy
11.2 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Buff-bellied Hummingbird primarily feeds on nectar, favoring flowers like turkscap and coral bean, and consumes insects, including flies and caterpillars, caught by hover-gleaning or flycatching. They feed both in open areas and dense canopies. Ornamental, papaya, and banana plants also supplement their diet.
Habitat
Buff-bellied Hummingbird favor lowland woodlands, thickets, and scrubby fields, particularly woodland edges and open areas rich in flowers. They adapt to urban environments rich in flora and are typically found in warm climates at lower altitudes. Their preferred vegetation includes acacias and mesquite in habitats like Tamaulipan brushland.
Nest Behavior
The female buff-bellied Hummingbird solely constructs the nest, timing it to precede egg-laying. This period of nest building and subsequent egg-laying is not specified, but once the eggs are laid, she provides all the parental care needed for the eggs and the hatched young.
Nest Characteristics
Buff-bellied Hummingbird's nest is often located in tree or shrub forks, typically 10 feet above ground. These tiny nests, about 1.5 inches across and 1.6 inches tall, boast an interior cup of 1 inch both in width and depth, crafted from plant material, flowers, bark, lichen, and bound with spiderweb.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Bird Feeder Type
Nectar Feeder
Sounds
Call
Recording location: Mexico
Song
Recording location: Mexico
Behavior
Buff-bellied Hummingbird showcase a blend of competitive and solitary behaviors, marked by vocalizations like 'tsi-we' or 'siik' during early mornings. Their daily routine involves dynamic flight patterns, which may play a role in mate attraction or territorial displays. Buff-bellied Hummingbird are assertive around feeding areas, often outcompeting smaller hummingbirds with vocal and aerial agility. Despite similar sex plumages, the extent of aggression linked to sex or nesting territoriality remains ambiguous. Female buff-bellied Hummingbird solely manage nest construction, egg incubation, and chick rearing. Post-fledging, juvenile buff-bellied Hummingbird exhibit rare social foraging briefly before adopting a typically solitary lifestyle, with exceptional nocturnal feeding observed during nesting periods.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Swifts and hummingbirds Family
Hummingbirds Genus
Hummingbird Species
Buff-bellied Hummingbird