Mexican Violetear

Common name: Mexican Violetear
Scientific name: Colibri thalassinus
Clades: Polytminae - Mangoes

The Mexican Violetear is roughly 9.7 to 12 cm (3.8 to 4.7 in) long. Body mass can vary from 4.8 to 5.6 g (0.17 to 0.20 oz).

It is a relatively large hummingbird of the highlands, with a bright green overall color. The species prefers pine-oak forest and edges, especially overgrown clearings and roadsides with dense flower banks. It is fairly common and is especially noticeable when singing. It is a metallic, chipping, jerky song that emanates relentlessly from a twig at the middle to top level of branches. Often stays well hidden within flowers when feeding. The plumage is overall deep green, with dark violet patches on the cheeks and breasts, and a wide dark band on the tail.

In the past, Mexican Violetears were included with Lesser Violetears (Colibri cyanotus), which occur from Costa Rica south to Argentina, as one species ("Green Violetear", C. thalassinus), but now Mexican violetears and Lesser violetears are classified separately due to their distinct plumage.