Most people don’t think of size when they think of hummingbirds. The Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus), however, is a massive hummingbird compared to the others. It is one of the largest hummingbirds, and ranks among the coolest birds in the American tropics. Seeing them transform with their environment is a huge joy of being a hummingbird fan. In bad lighting, they can appear completely black, but with the right lighting, they can show spectacular purple and violet iridescence.
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Identifying the Violet Sabrewing
A reliable way to identify male Violet Sabrewings is by the large white patches on their outer tail feathers. These make them stand out from the crowd, and are thought to help them escape from predators by making it difficult to track their movements.
Observing Them at Feeders
Due to their larger size, the Violet Sabrewing often will run smaller hummingbirds off to dominate their space. It is best to study the birds at a hummingbird feeder, as they will often come to it. They are super fun to sit back and watch, so take the time to enjoy them if they are around!
