General

Green Violet-ear: Medium-sized hummingbird, mostly dark metallic green (appearing black in low light) with blue-violet cheek and breast patches. Wings have black primaries. Squared tail is blue-green with black band. Slightly decurved bill is black. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Green Violet-ear: Found in mountain forests, forest clearings, and forest edges; common from central Mexico southward into northern South America. Vagrants may show up almost anywhere, with numerous records from the eastern U.S. and as far north as Alberta and Ontario.

Breeding and Nesting

Green Violet-ear: Two white eggs are laid in a nest made of down, dry grass blades, and mosses bound with cobwebs and decorated with moss and lichens. Nest is built by the female and built on drooping twig or rootlet at a forest edge, stream bank, or an overhanging road bank. Incubation ranges from 14 to 18 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Green Violet-ear: Feeds high to low in vegetation on nectar and insects.

Vocalization

Green Violet-ear: Call is a repeated, loud "tsip-tsip." Also gives a jerky, dry rattle "t'iiiiissk, t'iiiiissk, t'iiiiissk."

Similar Species

Green Violet-ear: Blue-throated Hummingbird is larger, has blue throat, white tips on tail feathers, and two white lines on face.