Woodstar Beach House

The Bahamas woodstar is one of the most popular hummingbirds in the Exumas. But it stays mostly at home, lives alone, and avoids human contact. If you are lucky you will see one of these tiny little birds humming around the flowers in the yard. 🌸 🌴 🌸 

Natives call the Bahamas Woodstar a "hummer." Because of the unmistakable sound of its wings while feeding. It is small and three to four inches, even by hummingbird standards. Males have a distinct violet throat, which appears iridescent in the sunlight. Unlike most birds, the woodstar is endemic to the Bahamas, meaning it does not migrate. Moreover, Woodstars are antisocial; they come together only to mate and can become aggressive to other birds. They are attracted to colorful flowers for their nectar but go out of their way to avoid humans.

The Bahamas is home to nearly 400 different kinds of birds and is attracting more and more birdwatchers as part of its tourism promotion efforts. Insiders travel to the island of Inagua to the south, home to a vast variety of avifauna, including 80,000 flamingos. Inagua is also home to the Inagua woodstar, which looks identical to the Bahama woodstar but turns out to be a unique species, native only to Inagua. There are about 15 different species of woodstar hummingbirds in the Americas. For more information about the best places to watch birds, visit https://blog.hideawayspalmbay....

Description

3.5" -3.75" The adult male hummingbird has greenish upper parts with iridescent violet throat feathers, which appear black when seen from a distance, rufous lower underparts, and a forked tail. Females and immatures have greenish upper parts, a dull-white throat, and breasts with pale-rufous underparts. The female's tail is rounded.

Habitat

Coppice, pine forest, gardens, or open country. When feeding, the hummingbird hovers in front of feeders, its wings moving so fast as to be invisible. With its long bill and tongue, it probes for nectar and minute insects.

Nesting

An egg cup-sized, well-constructed nest is built of soft materials, in saplings or on ends of branches, often well camouflaged. Usually, two eggs are laid, and the same nest is repaired and reused. Breeds year-round.

Range

A common year-round resident throughout The Bahamas, to which it is endemic. This is the only hummingbird species on New Providence and the southern islands. It is less common in Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros, which it shares with the Cuban Emeraid.