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 - Magenta-throated Woodstar
 - Magenta-throated Woodstar
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Magenta-throated Woodstar Philodice bryantae Scientific name definitions

F. Gary Stiles and Peter F. D. Boesman
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated September 6, 2018

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Introduction

Found only in southern Central America, the Magenta-throated Woodstar occurs from northern Costa Rica to western Panama, and is largely restricted to the Pacific slope of the isthmus. Its plumage is generally very similar to the geographically distant Bahama Woodstar (Calliphlox evelynae), and these two species are, in older literature, sometimes placed in their own genus, Nesophlox. Both sexes of the Magenta-throated Woodstar have the green upperparts spangled with rufous, with the male having a glittering purple gorget and a long tail (both lacking in females). Both sexes possess a white collar on the front of the neck, although this is much more striking in males, and otherwise are green with rufous and white spotting below (in males) or largely whitish with spotting largely confined to the flanks (females). The Magenta-throated Woodstar is found in a wide variety of more or less wooded country, principally between 700 and 1850 m.

Field Identification

Male 9 cm, 3·3 g; female 7·5 cm, 3·5 g. Male has short, straight, black bill; upperparts bronzy green, short central rectrices tipped black, progressively longer lateral rectrices black with cinnamon-rufous inner webs; postocular spot white, gorget metallic purple, set off by conspicuous white collar across foreneck; breast and sides green, belly rufous; white or buffy patch on each side of rump. Female has upperparts like male, ear-coverts greyish, throat buffy, white collar less distinct, green of breast and sides mixed with rufous; tail double-rounded, lateral rectrices rufous with black subterminal band and buffy cinnamon tip. Juvenile resembles adult female but paler below and shows buffy fringes on head and nape, and with smaller (male) or larger (female) pale tips to outer rectrices.

Systematics History

Often separated, together with C. mitchellii and sometimes C. evelynae, in genus Philodice; in the past, occasionally placed with C. evelynae in Nesophlox. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

N Costa Rica to W Panama (Veraguas), mainly on Pacific slope.

Habitat

Forest borders and clearings, thinned woodland, second growth, scrubby pastures, semi-open mountain slopes, at 700–1850 m (Costa Rica), or 1100–1750 m (Panama).

Movement

Evidently makes at least local movements, since at a given locality can be common to abundant at one time of year and absent at others, but more information required.

Diet and Foraging

Takes nectar from flowers of low trees (Inga, Quararibea), shrubs (Lantana) and herbs (Lobelia); where flowers are abundant many often gather in quarrelsome aggregations with much chasing and supplanting, both sexes sometimes defending feeding territories; territorial male gives dive displays. Long, deeply forked tail of male usually held cocked and closed while feeding, opened widely during aggressive displays. Arthropods taken by hawking from perch or gleaning in lower foliage.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a low-pitched, rapid medley of sputtering and gurgling notes. Calls include a low-pitched dry rolling “drr” (a very fast repetition of three notes), a dry “cht” and, during chases, a low-pitched, whistled “tew”. 

Breeding

Nov–Mar or Apr (Costa Rica). Breeding male gives dive displays also in small groups, probably leks, around forest clearings away from flowers. Nest undescribed.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Costa Rica and Panama Highlands EBA. Locally common, at least seasonally, throughout much of range but movements poorly understood; seems able to tolerate, and perhaps benefit from, at least partial forest clearance. Occurs in Monteverde Biological Reserve (Costa Rica).
Distribution of the Magenta-throated Woodstar - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Magenta-throated Woodstar

Recommended Citation

Stiles, F. G. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Magenta-throated Woodstar (Philodice bryantae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.matwoo1.01
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