Identification
Woodstars are tiny hummingbirds that fly like large bumblebees. White-bellied is an Andean species found from Colombia to Bolivia. Males are mostly emerald green above with a bright white chest and belly, dark green sides, a glittering purple throat, and a forked tail. Their wings make a distinctive metallic whirring in flight. Females have a white throat, white eyeline, and rich buffy flanks. Both sexes have very prominent white patches on the sides of the lower back. Females in particular can be difficult to distinguish from other woodstars; look for their brighter and better-defined white belly patch and larger white patches on the sides of the lower back. Look for this species in a variety of wooded habitats, scrub, and gardens in the highlands from from 1,100-3,500m. Visits feeders.