Species · GBIF taxon 2476964
Giant Hummingbird
Patagona gigasAlso known as Southern Giant Hummingbird, Patagonian Giant Hummingbird
Giant Hummingbirds are the largest members of the hummingbird family, easily recognized by their sluggish, slow-flapping flight that resembles a swift or a swallow rather than the typical blur of smaller hummingbirds. They inhabit the high-altitude Andes, where they defend large feeding territories centered on flowering cacti and bromeliads. During the winter, southern populations migrate northward along the mountain chain to find warmer valleys.
High-AltitudeMigratoryNectar-Feeder
Licensed referenceArturo Nahum / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Nectar and small insects
- family
- Trochilidae
- threats
- Habitat loss from agriculture and climate change affecting alpine flowering seasons
- life Span
- 6 to 10 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Look for slow wingbeats: Watch for a hummingbird that glides and flaps slowly, resembling a swift, rather than hovering in a blur.
- Scan flowering cacti: Look around large columnar cacti and agave plants in the Andes, which are favored feeding stations.
- Listen for loud chirps: Listen for their sharp, metallic 'chip' calls used to defend feeding territories.