Violet-headed Hummingbird

Klais guimeti

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
FamilyTrochilidae (Hummingbirds)
GenusKlais
SpeciesKlais guimeti (Violet-headed Hummingbird)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Marino Ballena National Park

2 Verified sightings at Marino Ballena National Park From 2019 to 2026

11,685 Verified sightings across all 28 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Violet-headed Hummingbird

The violet-headed hummingbird (Klais guimeti) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is the only species in the genus Klais. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.

The violet-headed hummingbird was formally described in 1843 by the French ornithologist Jules Bourcier from specimens collected near Caracas in Venezuela. Bourcier coined the binomial name Trochilus guimeti. The violet-headed hummingbird is now the only species placed in the genus Klais that was introduced in 1854 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach. The genus is named after Kleis (or Cleis), the daughter of the Lesbian poet Sappho. The specific name was chosen to honour the French chemist Jean-Baptiste Guimet.

Three subspecies are recognised: K. g. merrittii (Lawrence, 1860) – east Honduras to east Panama K. g. guimeti (Bourcier, 1843) – east Colombia and north Venezuela to east Ecuador and extreme north Peru K. g. pallidiventris Stolzmann, 1926 – east Peru and west Bolivia

Violet-headed hummingbirds are on average 8.1 cm (3.2 in) in length with a... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Marino Ballena National Park

Amazilia tzacatl

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Chlorestes eliciae

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Amazilia rutila

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Heliothryx barroti

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Thalurania colombica

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Phaethornis longirostris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Campylopterus hemileucurus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Polyerata decora

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Florisuga mellivora

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Phaeochroa cuvierii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Phaethornis striigularis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Archilochus colubris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
2	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
3	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
4	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
5	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
6	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
7	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
8	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
9	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
10	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
11	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
12	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
13	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
14	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
15	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
16	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
17	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
18	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
19	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
20	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
21	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
22	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
23	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
24	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
25	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
26	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
27	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
28	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data

← Back to Marino Ballena National Park

Violet-headed Hummingbird

About the Violet-headed Hummingbird

Recent sightings of Violet-headed Hummingbird in Marino Ballena National Park

Closest Relatives at Marino Ballena National Park

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Blue-throated Sapphire

Cinnamon Hummingbird

Purple-crowned Fairy

Violet-crowned Woodnymph

Long-billed Hermit

Violet Sabrewing

Charming Hummingbird

White-necked Jacobin

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Stripe-throated Hermit

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found