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 San Lorenzo Protected Forest

1 Verified sightings at San Lorenzo Protected Forest 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 San Lorenzo Protected Forest

Amazilia tzacatl

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Chlorestes julie

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Thalurania colombica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Phaethornis striigularis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Polyerata amabilis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Phaethornis longirostris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Florisuga mellivora

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Glaucis hirsutus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anthracothorax nigricollis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Heliothryx barroti

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Threnetes ruckeri

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chalybura urochrysia

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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 San Lorenzo Protected Forest

Violet-headed Hummingbird

About the Violet-headed Hummingbird

Closest Relatives at San Lorenzo Protected Forest

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Violet-bellied Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Woodnymph

Stripe-throated Hermit

Blue-chested Hummingbird

Long-billed Hermit

White-necked Jacobin

Rufous-breasted Hermit

Black-throated Mango

Purple-crowned Fairy

Band-tailed Barbthroat

Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found