Violet-capped Woodnymph Thalurania glaucopis

Brazilian name:
beija-flor-de-fronte-violeta
Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Serra Bonita, Camacan, Bahia, Brazil, November 2008 - click for larger image Brazil

The Violet-capped Woodnymph is distributed in eastern and southern Brazil and adjacent areas of Paraguay and Argentina. It is found in forest and on forest edges as well as in gardens and parks.

The male has a brilliant violet cap as well as brilliant green underparts. The female on the other hand has a contrasting cap, dirty white underparts and a pale tip to its tail. Although it does eat small insects it feeds primarily on nectar which it extracts with its long tongue (4 cms in length from the base of its 1.8 cm bill)

Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Serra Bonita, Camacan, Bahia, Brazil, November 2008 - click for larger image Sick mentions the Violet-capped Woodnymph's heartbeat which has been recorded at 635 beats per minute resting after flight. This compares with an Amethyst Woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina) heartbeat during flight of 1240 beats per minute.

There are recordings on xeno-canto, a distribution map from NatureServe and additional information available via Avibase. There is a page in Portuguese on Wikiaves.

Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, November 2006 - click for larger image
Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, November 2006 - click for larger image
Female Violet-capped Woodnymph, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, March 2004 - click for larger image
Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Intervales, São Paulo, Brazil, April 2004 - click for larger image
Male Violet-capped Woodnymph, Intervales, São Paulo, Brazil, April 2004 - click for larger image
Female Violet-capped Woodnymph, Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, November 2006 - click for larger image
Previous Page Back to Index Next Page

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page.
Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites