Brown Violetear vs Mexican Violetear

Colibri delphinae compared with Colibri thalassinus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brown Violetear	Mexican Violetear
Kingdom same	Animalia (حيوانات)	Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum same	Chordata (حبليات)	Chordata (حبليات)
Class same	Aves (طيور)	Aves (طيور)
Order same	Apodiformes (سماميات)	Apodiformes (سماميات)
Family same	Trochilidae	Trochilidae
Genus same	Colibri	Colibri
Species	Colibri delphinae	Colibri thalassinus

Evolutionary Relationship

Brown Violetear and Mexican Violetear share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Colibri.

Conservation Status

Brown Violetear

LC — Least Concern

Mexican Violetear

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brown Violetear	Mexican Violetear
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brown Violetear

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Mexican Violetear

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, United States, and Venezuela.

Brown Violetear

The only predominantly brown hummingbird in the violetear genus, brown violetears have brownish-bronze upper parts and a diagnostic violet-blue ear patch. Found across a broad range of humid forest and forest edge from Guatemala south through Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil to Bolivia. Inhabiting elevations from lowland to 2,000 meters, they are found in forest interior, forest edge, and gardens. Despite relatively drab plumage for a hummingbird, the violet ear patch glitters vividly in direct sunlight.

Mexican Violetear

A medium-sized, predominantly green hummingbird with a distinctive iridescent violet-blue ear patch and chest stripe, Mexican violetears inhabit highland and montane forests from Mexico south through Central America at elevations of 1,000–3,000 meters. Males are aggressive, highly vocal territory defenders and perform showy flight displays. They breed at high altitudes but some populations make seasonal altitudinal migrations. Among the most common hummingbirds in Mexican highland pine-oak and cloud forest habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway 🇻🇪 Venezuela