- Heliodoxa xanthogonys
Identification
10–11 cm (4-4¼ in)
- Straight bill; black upper, orange lower mandible, with dark tip
Male
- Glittering greenish-blue forehead
Distribution
South America: found in Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]
- H. x. xanthogonys:
- H. x. willardi:
- South Venezuela, northern Brazil (Serranía de la Neblina and Sierra Imeri)
Habitat
Sub-montane forests, clearings, forest edges and scrub.
Behaviour
Diet
Their main food source is netar from a variety of plants. They are known to sometimes use the trap-lining method of feeding.
Breeding
Their nest is shaped like a saddle, into which they lay 2 white eggs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Velvet-browed Brilliant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Velvet-browed_Brilliant
