Birds · Apodiformes · Trochilidae

Giant Hummingbird

Patagona gigas

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The giant hummingbird is by some way the largest hummingbird in the world: it measures more than twenty centimetres and weighs as much as eight ordinary hummingbirds. Its size forces it into a wingbeat that is slow for a hummingbird, about fifteen beats a second, which gives it a flight that from a distance is more reminiscent of a swift. It lives in the arid Andes, from Ecuador to Chile and Argentina, and feeds above all on the nectar of columnar cacti and agaves.

Weight

18 g – 24 g

Size

21 cm – 23 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Nectarivore

Feeds mainly on flower nectar.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is the largest hummingbird on the planet, and its wingbeat is so slow for the group that it can be followed with the naked eye, whereas in a small hummingbird it is invisible.
In 2024 genetic studies revealed that the migratory southern populations and the resident northern ones have been separate for millions of years and are in fact two different species, despite being practically identical to look at.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Arid Andean scrub, high-altitude woodland and dry valleys with cacti, between 1,500 and 4,500 metres
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 18 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 2 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagona_gigas