Oct 3

Bird of the day

White-vented plumeleteer

Chalybura buffonii

The white-vented plumeleteer (Chalybura buffonii) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

The white-vented plumeleteer is 10.5 to 12 cm (4.1 to 4.7 in) long. Males weigh 6 to 7.3 g (0.21 to 0.26 oz) and females 5.9 to 7.9 g (0.21 to 0.28 oz). All of the subspecies except intermedia have a black bill and black feet; that one has a pinkish base to the mandible and pale pink to red feet.

Males of the nominate subspecies C. b. buffonii have mostly dark metallic green upperparts with a bronzy tinge to the crown and coppery bronze uppertail coverts. Their upper breast is bluish, lower breast bright metallic green, the lower belly whitish, and the undertail coverts long and white. Their tail is blue-black with a bronze gloss on the central feathers. Nominate females are paler metallic green above and gray below with green speckles on the side. Their tail is like the males' with the addition of dull gray tips on the outer feathers.

Subspecies C. b. micans is larger than the nominate. Males' central tail feathers are a deeper blue and females' undersides are a clearer gray. C. b. aeneicauda males are a more golden-green below than the nominate and their central tail feathers are bright bronze-green to copper-bronze. Females have pale gray underparts with sparse green flecks. C. b. caeruleogaster is the largest subspecies. The male has a bluish green throat and belly and a blue breast. Females have gray underparts with no flecking. C. b. intermedia males have a greenish-blue breast, a gray belly, and a dark blue tail.

Aliases

Chalybura buffonii

Range

Range map of White-vented plumeleteer

Data retrieved on October 15, 2025 at 5:21 AM