White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis)

White-eared Hummingbird

[order] APODIFORMES | [family] Trochilidae | [latin] Basilinna leucotis | [UK] White-eared Hummingbird | [FR] Saphir a oreilles blanches | [DE] Weissohrsaphir | [ES] Colibri Orejiblanco | [NL] Witoorsaffierkolibrie

Subspecies

Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range
Lamprolaima leucotis
Basilinna leucotis MA Mexico to Nicaragua
Basilinna leucotis borealis se Arizona (USA), n Mexico
Basilinna leucotis leucotis c and s Mexico, Guatemala
Basilinna leucotis pygmaea El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua

Physical charateristics

Male: Bill red, with a black tip; broad white stripe behind the eye. Underparts dark greenish, throat blue and green, crown purple. Female:
Has the red bill and bold white stripe behind the eye. Note the small green spots on the throat.

Listen to the sound of White-eared Hummingbird

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/W/White-eared Hummingbird.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 9 cm size max.: 10 cm
incubation min.: 14 days incubation max.: 16 days
fledging min.: 23 days fledging max.: 28 days
broods: 3   eggs min.: 2  
      eggs max.: 3  

Range

Middle America : Mexico to Nicaragua

Habitat

Pine-oak woods near streams, montane forest. In Mexico and Central America, found mostly in clearings and edges of conifero
us forest in higher mountains, as well as pine-oak woods at middle elevations. In the United States, has been seen most often coming to feeders in mountain canyons, in areas dominated by oak, pine, or Douglas-fir.

Reproduction

Has been known to nest only a few times in United States. Where species is common, males gather in loose groups (scattered about 60-100′ apart) and perch in
trees, singing short songs, to attract females. When female visits, male follows her back to her nesting territory and performs flight display.
Nest: Site is in shrub or tree, saddled on twig or placed in fork, 5-
20′ above ground. Nest (built by female) is a cup of plant fibers, moss, pine needles, spider webs, lined with fine plant down. Outside of nest is camouflaged with lichens and moss. Female may continue adding to nest after incubation begins.
Eggs: 2. White. Incubation is by female only, 14-16 days.
Young: Female feeds young by inserting her bill deep in their throats, then regurgitating food, probably including insects and nectar. Age of young at first flight about 23-26 days.

Feeding habits

Mostly nectar and small insects.
Consumes nectar from flowers, especially red or violet tubular flowers growing in masses in mountain clearings. Also will feed on sugar-water mixtures. Eats many small insects (such as aphids and gnats) and spiders.
Behavior: Takes nectar from flowe
rs while hovering on rapidly beating wings; will also perch to feed where convenient. Flies out from a perch to catch insects in midair or take them from foliage. Will visit hummingbird feeders for sugar-water.

Conservation

This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
White-eared Hummingbird status Least Concern

Migration

Mexican border to Nicaragua. A sparse summer visitor to mountains of southeastern Arizona. Casual in southwestern New Mexico, western Texas. Migration:
Probably a permanent resident over most of its range. Occurs north of Mexico mostly in summer; has wintered at feeders in Arizona at least once.

Distribution map

White-eared Hummingbird distribution range map

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