Mexican Sheartail
NameMexican Sheartail
Common NameMexican Sheartail
Scientific NameDoricha eliza
FamilyTrochilidae
Wingspan (cm)11
Length (cm)9.5
Weight (g)2.5
Plumage DetailsMales display a brilliant iridescent purple gorget, a white breast and belly, and a metallic green back. Their long, deeply forked tail is dark with rufous outer rectrices. Females are duller, lacking the iridescent gorget, with a buffy throat and a shorter, less deeply forked tail.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations are generally soft and inconspicuous, consisting of high-pitched chips and squeaks, often given while foraging or in flight.
Primary Dietnectarivore
Primary Habitatscoastal, forest
Conservation Statusnear-threatened
Geographic RangeEndemic to two disjunct populations in Mexico: one in the coastal lowlands of central Veracruz and another on the northern Yucatán Peninsula.
Identifying Featureslong decurved bill, iridescent purple gorget (male), white breast, metallic green back, long forked tail (male)
Description
This small hummingbird is characterized by its iridescent purple gorget, white underparts, and metallic green back. It is often seen hovering gracefully to feed on nectar from flowers, a typical behavior for hummingbirds in its coastal scrub habitat.
