Black-breasted Hillstar
Oreotrochilus melanogaster
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="oreotrochilus-melanogaster"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/oreotrochilus-melanogaster/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/oreotrochilus-melanogaster/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/oreotrochilus-melanogaster/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="oreotrochilus-melanogaster"></birdfyi-bird>About
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in the Andes of central Peru at 3,000-4,500 m. Males have a black breast contrasting with green upperparts and white belly. Nectarivore of puna grasslands and rocky slopes. An endemic of Peru's central Andean highlands.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 14.4 cm | 5.7 in |
| Weight | 7.75 g | 0.27 oz |
Identification
Plumage
Peruvian Sheartail: males with glittering rose-red gorget; metallic green back; white underparts; females green above; pale spotted below
Habitat & Range
Geographic Range
Endemic to central and southern Peru in the Andes in puna grassland and scrub at 3,500–4,800 m elevation.
Diet & Feeding
Nectarivore of Bolivian altiplano; forages at Ericaceae and Chuquiraga in arid puna. Takes small insects opportunistically.
Conservation Status
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: CP.
Clutch Size
2
Sound
Song
Rapid, light chips in animated sequence; bright staccato notes with bouncy quality during active territorial display.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes (Nightjars & Swifts) |
| Family | Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) |
| Genus | Oreotrochilus |
| Species | Oreotrochilus melanogaster |
Distribution
Black-breasted Hillstar has been recorded in 1 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Black-breasted Hillstar eat?
Where does the Black-breasted Hillstar live?
Is the Black-breasted Hillstar endangered?
How does the Black-breasted Hillstar nest?
What does the Black-breasted Hillstar sound like?
How big is the Black-breasted Hillstar?
What order and family does the Black-breasted Hillstar belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Trochilidae family