Let’s put you to the test: Can you name some of the purple-colored birds on earth? Well, there are so many different and amazing purple-colored birds that inhabit the earth.
The vivid colors and the rareness of these creatures show how much diversity there is in our world. All around the world, from North America to Australia, people have been catching glimpses of these beautiful animals as they fly by or perch for a moment on an unsuspecting branch.
I am so excited to share with you the 36 amazingly beautiful PURPLE-COLORED BIRDS on earth! These are some of the fascinating creatures that live among us. They are truly amazing because they have a special quality that is not found in many other animals and because their colors are just stunning.
I hope this article inspires you to take an interest in these beautiful birds and learn more about them. This article is going to walk you through about 36 AMAZING PURPLE-COLORED BIRDS on earth.
Purple-bearded Bee-Eater
What makes this bird so unique is the fact that it has a purple beard, which is why they are called the Purple-bearded Bee-Eater. Their diet creates the extreme color of their beards because it’s where they get their pigmentation, much like many other animals on earth. They live in tropical climates and can be found in Central Africa for breeding regions and Sri Lanka all year long.
This bird species was discovered way back in 1851, so it’s not too recent to find them! They were first spotted by an English explorer Henry Walter Bates who was hunting for animal specimens. The purple-bearded bee-eater can grow to have a length of about 16 inches, so they aren’t too tiny. They are actually classified as being on the larger side for birds, with a wingspan of 28 inches.
They spend their lives in their natural habitat, which is rainforest trees that provide them with many different types of food. They eat bees and other insects, which they hunt by perching on branches and then swooping down to pick up prey at lightning speeds. Since these purple birds eat bees and other insects, it’s no wonder why their pigment comes from what they consume! Purple beards make them seem more aggressive to any predators lurking around the corner.
Purple-breasted Sunbird
Purple-breasted sunbirds are one of the most amazing creatures on earth. Purple-breasted sunbirds live in tropical regions and can be found throughout Sri Lanka year-round. The diet that these purple birds eat gives them their pigment, just like many other animals on earth. They consume mostly bees and insects, which they hunt by perching on branches and swooping down to pick up prey at lightning speeds. The purple-breasted sunbird has a wingspan of 8 inches. It’s also classified as being larger than most other types of birds with a length of 10 inches.
The purple-breasted sunbird is distinctive because it has this beautiful purple plumage covering its underbelly, no matter what gender it is. You can easily tell the males from the females by looking at their secondary feathers, red on the male and yellow on the female.
The males tend to do their courting by feeding potential mates during mating season, so they are very generous when it comes to trying to win over a girl!
These amazing creatures have a long tail that they use to lift when perching in trees. They also eat fruit when there’s not much food around because they don’t need to eat every day. The purple-breasted sunbird is a beautiful bird with bright colors and an even brighter personality, making it one of the most interesting creatures on earth!
Purplish Jay
The purple jay is a bird, and it is native to the humid forests of Central America. The color purple represents royalty in their language – which shows that they deserve respect.
The purplish jay has a powerful flight pattern and requires space for living. In their natural habitat, they can fly up to an altitude of 14,000 feet. They feed on insects, small reptiles, turtle eggs, and fruit from trees.
The purplish jay’s diet consists mainly of fruits and insects and occasionally frogs and lizards. It is an opportunistic forager, which means that it will eat anything that suits its needs at the time.
The Purplish Jay is about 16 inches in length and weighs somewhere between 3 to 5 ounces. The plumage on its upper parts appears spangled, which means that the individual feathers are streaked with black. Its beak is black-gray also, and the iris of this bird’s eyes are yellow or orange.
Purple Swamphen
The purple swamphen sometimes referred to as the purple gallinule or pukeko, is a bird found in New Zealand. This bird is also considered to be an invasive species within the North Island of this country. It has been known to go into wetland areas and farmlands. During the mating season, it will create nests above the water line on plants rooted in water; however, during other times of the year, it will create its nest far away from any type of body of water. The purple swamphens diet consists mainly of leaves, berries, seeds, ferns, roots, and tubers; however, they have also eaten insects and snails.
The purple swamphen is a large bird that can reach an average length of about 14 to 31 inches long, and it weighs somewhere between 1.5 to 3.2 pounds. The adult has a long greenish-blue-colored neck, legs, and feet with a deep red coloring on the undersides of its wings. Its plumage, which extends from its head down to its back, is black or gray without any other tints of color within it; however, this bird does have some white coloring on the feathers around its face as well as on some of those near its tail’s base.
Purple Martin
Purple Martin – also known as North American Purple Martins, Progne subis.The purple martin is a migratory bird breed in North America and spends the winter in South America. These birds live in colonies that can have anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred nests in the summer. They have been known to nest on both natural sites such as cliffs and man-made structures such as barns.
The purple martin has a wingspan of up to 16 inches, and it weighs somewhere between 0.9 to 1.2 ounces. The male is a darker color than the female, and his plumage typically looks black or dark brown with some white edges along with its wing feathers and tail feathers. The female is more of a light brown or buff color, along with some white edges around its wing feathers and some white spots on its back.
The purple martin is known to eat some insects, but it mainly eats fruit and nectar in the summer months in North America and South America. This bird is also known for being a beneficial species, which means that it helps control all sorts of insect populations by eating them.
Purple Cotinga
The purple cotinga belongs to a family known as Cotingidae, with over 100 species of birds. This bird lives deep in the rainforest, where there are some pretty shaded areas; therefore, their brilliant colors serve as camouflage when nesting among trees. However, they will show off their bright colors during mating season as they fly around and call each other.
The purple cotinga is a medium-sized bird that can reach an average length of about 12 to 13 inches long, and it weighs somewhere between 32 and 39 grams. It has a short tail that makes up around one-third of its total length. Its plumage is a bright cobalt blue tone with a greenish-purple sheen on its head, neck, breast, wings, and back. The coloration from the head down to the belly is black, with white tips on the outermost feathers found there. In addition to this coloring, it also has some orange or yellow coloring surrounding its eyes and pale-colored feet, which lack scales completely.
Violaceous Jay
The violaceous jay is a bird that is found in the areas of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. This type of bird is also called the western or mountain jay. In 1939 it was considered to be a threatened species but has since been reclassified as being a species of least concern. The violaceous jay spends most of its time within forested areas and oak woodlands, but it will also go into chaparral and pine forests.
The violaceous jay is a medium-sized bird that reaches an average length between 13 and 15 inches long with a weight ranging from 85 to 125 grams. The male has a blue-purple-gray coloration on its body, while the female will have more blue coloration and some black and white coloring on its wings.
The violaceous jay is typically an omnivore because it will eat both plants and insects. To get the nutrition that it needs from these foods, this bird will either eat them raw or throw them into a bowl of water to absorb the nutrients through osmosis.
However, when they are eating insects, their preferred method of consuming them is burning off the wings before dropping them into a water container. They have less chance of being able to fly away when being chased by one of their predators.
Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher
The Japanese paradise-flycatcher is a medium-sized bird that is found in the areas of Thailand, southern China, Taiwan, and Japan. This type of bird feeds on insects, nectar, fruit, and small animals such as spiders and small frogs. It has been recognized as a vulnerable species by the IUCN because there is a decline in the number of these birds breeding at any one time.
The male Japanese paradise-flycatcher looks like it has violet or dark purple coloring with some gray or brown feathers on its back and wings. The female has more of an orange coloring which makes it look lighter than the male counterpart.
The diet for this type of bird usually consists of a mixture between fruit and insects, but they generally need a number of different types of food to get all of the nutrients they need. The most common type of an insect for this bird is ants because they can eat them in large numbers at one time. This bird is also known to be very aggressive towards other birds when it comes to feeding time, which means that it will fight with others in order to get its food.
Purple-crested Turaco
The purple-crested turaco is a bird that prefers to stay in areas with dense forests, making it a bird that inhabits the rainforests of central and western Africa. This type of bird can also be found in a few different countries from Asia as well as from islands from the Indian Ocean. There has been some decline in their numbers due to deforestation as well as hunting, which has led to them being classified as an endangered species with the IUCN.
The male purple-crested turaco likes to have a dark purple or black coloration on its head along with some brown or green feathers on its body. The female has more of an olive green coloring or green feathers on her body and wings.
One of the main methods that turaco birds use to find their food is to search for fruit on the ground and then catching insects as they fly by. The male turaco often times will do this type of hunting together with his mate, which means that they will go out into the wild and hunt in pairs instead of going out alone like most other species of bird prefer to do. This bird also has a habit of hiding its food under leaves and branches so that other animals don’t steal it.
Varied Bunting
The varied bunting is a bird that is found in the areas of southern and central Africa. This type of bird can also be found in the eastern parts of Asia and in the Himalayas. It has been recognized as a species of least concern due to its large range, and it also lives in areas where there aren’t many human interactions, which means that it isn’t threatened by habitat destruction or other forms of pollution.
The male varies bunting has a purple coloring on its head with black around its eyes that looks like feathers sticking out from behind their head. The colors on its body consist mainly of browns, grays, and greens with some white speckles. The female has more simple coloring, including a mixture of white and brown coloring with some green speckles.
The varied bunting is a bird that typically spends most of its day in trees or bushes to avoid predators from coming after them. This type of bird will only fly when they feel like they have to move from one part of their habitat to another, which means that most people who see this bird when it is still alive for the first time can usually spot it flying from one tree to another. The diet for this type of bird includes insects and seeds, and berries that can be found in their habitats.
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
The western violet-backed sunbird is a type of bird that is found in the countries of India and Sri Lanka. This type of bird is very common in the country of India, but it can also be seen in Sri Lanka as well. It prefers to live in areas with many trees and grasses, which makes them a bird that lives primarily in areas where there are a lot of forested areas.
The male has an appearance that includes brilliant red coloring on their wings and chest, while the females have more dull colors such as grays and browns along with some greenish speckles on their body or wings. The females get the same amount of red coloring on their chests as males, but they don’t get this coloring on their wings.
Sunbirds are believed to be very different from other birds because they prefer to soak up all their water with water that can be found on leaves or some type of plant life instead of going into a body of lake, river, or stream. They prefer to live in areas that have a more balanced amount of humidity and some levels of dryness, which helps them more easily find the types of plants and trees that they need for food and building nests with.
Common Scimitarbill
The common scimitarbill is a type of bird that is found in a large range of Africa. The primary habitat for the common scimitarbill is found in parts of southern and eastern Africa, but they can also be seen in northern Africa as well. The diet for the common scimitarbill consists mostly of insects and spiders living in trees, along with eggs from birds that are nesting there.
The appearance of the male common scimitarbill includes a mainly yellow coloring, with some red around its eyes and beak. Its feathers will also have purple coloring on it when it’s young, but this will eventually change to white coloration when the bird becomes an adult. The female has a more dull coloring which includes a mixture of browns and grays, along with some green speckles on its feathers.
The common scimitarbill is a type of bird that prefers to live in groups instead of living alone or as two birds that are together at all times. However, even though these types of birds prefer to live in groups, they still have been known to be aggressive towards other species of birds if they feel like their group is being threatened.
Varied Bunting
The varied bunting is a bird that is found in the areas of southern and central Africa. This type of bird can also be found in the eastern parts of Asia and in the Himalayas. It has been recognized as a species of least concern due to its large range, and it also lives in areas where there aren’t many human interactions, which means that it isn’t threatened by habitat destruction or other forms of pollution.
The male varies bunting has a purple coloring on its head with black around its eyes that looks like feathers sticking out from behind their head. The colors on its body consist mainly of browns, grays, and greens with some white speckles on them. The female has more simple coloring, including a mixture of white and brown coloring with some green speckles.
The varied bunting is a bird that typically spends most of its day in trees or bushes to avoid predators from coming after them. This type of bird will only fly when they feel.
White-breasted Ground-Dove
The white-breasted ground dove is a type of bird that can be found in the tropics of Africa. The primary habitat for this bird is found in wet areas or areas where there are lots of trees and grass, making it an uncommon sight for the people who live in more arid regions.
The appearance of this bird includes mostly white feathers with splashes of brown across its chest and head. The female will also have some reddish coloring around her eyes and beak, distinguishing it from the male.
The diet for this particular type of dove includes seeds, berries, and other vegetation such as leaves that can be found close to where they build their nests. They tend to wait until the sun warms up the ground to easily find the type of vegetation they need for food.
Some big threats to this type of bird include humans and other species that prey on them, such as cats and snakes. However, their biggest threat is found in agriculture since farmers often use pesticides and other substances that kill off many insects, which means there isn’t enough food available for the white-breasted ground-dove.
Purple Grenadier
The Purple Grenadier is a type of fish that is found all over the world. The diet for the purple grenadier includes a large amount of smaller fish or other organisms that they can find in shallow water.
One unique feature about the purple grenadier is that it has some small scales on its body and fins, which give it a striking coloration. The coloring is mainly purple with some white stripes along the belly and around its eyes, while its back and fins have more brown coloring. Male and females weigh roughly 7-9 kilograms and 20-22 centimeters, respectively.
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
The velvet-fronted nuthatch is a type of bird that can be found in the southern part of North America and central and western Europe. It prefers to live in forested areas, which makes it a type of bird that many people see in areas around forests. The diet for the velvet-fronted nuthatch is mainly made up of insects and spiders, but they will also eat some small seeds and fruits as well.
The appearance of the male includes a coloring on its head that is dark blue, while the rest of its body has a light gray color along with some brown and black.
On the other hand, the female has a more dull coloring that includes shades of grays and browns, along with some areas having green or purple mixed in. One unique feature of this bird is that it can move its tongue forward and backward and also rotate it around to eat prey such as insects.
Purple-winged Roller
The purple-winged roller is a type of bird that can be found in the rainforest regions of Southeast Asia. They do not migrate and stay there all year round, making them a very common sight to see. To get their food, these birds spend a lot of time on or near the ground where they can find small insects and other organisms that live there.
The appearance of the purple-winged roller consists mainly of a dark blue coloring with some light blue mixed in, along with some black markings around its eyes, beak, and wings. Its legs are also gray or white in color, which helps it to blend in with the leaves on the ground when it is up close to them, which is how it can easily get its food.
Their coloring has purple feathers on their wings that are extremely striking when they are in flight. The rest of their body also has some purple coloring along with some yellow coloring at their shoulder area. Although their wings are mainly purple, they also have some white markings along the bottom, contrasting with their coloring.
The purple-winged roller is an endangered bird, primarily because humans have disturbed their habitat by building roads and chopping down trees. However, they are still in fairly high numbers in the places where they are found, so there isn’t too much concern about them becoming extinct any time soon.
Purple-breasted Cotinga
The purple-breasted cotinga can be found in South America as well as parts of Central Africa. They live at a high elevation and often travel from one area to the other as food sources change. The diet for this bird mainly consists of different types of fruit, though they will also eat other insects and small animals if those are available.
The purple-breasted cotinga has a very brightly colored body that is mainly a purple color with some red mixed in around their throat. Their wings are a deep black color, contrasting against their other colors, which help them stand out from other birds in the air. They have no pattern on them whatsoever, making it even more likely for people to notice them flying around in the trees.
Purple-breasted cotingas are currently considered to be at a slightly higher risk for becoming an endangered species in the future, but not enough that they should cause any real concerns. This is mostly because of how active this bird can be, which means that it will be difficult for humans to capture it or get too close to them without the purple-breasted cotinga noticing and avoiding them. However, suppose their population becomes smaller than it has been previously. In that case, there may need to be some type of intervention performed by conservationists who want to make sure these birds stay around for many generations.
Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo
The Rufous-vented ground cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that can be found in South America as well as parts of Central Africa. They live at a high elevation and often travel from one area to the other as food sources change. The diet for this bird mainly consists of different types of fruit, though they will also eat other insects and small animals if those are available.
The coloring for this type of cuckoo is mostly red with some brown highlights around its chest area. It has a long tail which is black in color, and a yellow bill on the back half of it. All these colors combined give it a striking appearance that makes it stand out from most birds seen before. Although this type of cuckoo has a very nice appearance to it, they are not very good fliers and prefer to walk around more than anything else.
The biggest threat for this bird is hunters who want to capture them and sell them for money. Since they are very hard to catch, it can be difficult for people to find out where they live or how many there actually are. This makes it much easier for hunters to go out and capture a large number of these birds without anyone else knowing about it or being able to stop them from happening.
Rufous-vented ground-cuckoos are currently considered near threatened because their population is on the decline but not enough that it should cause any real concerns. This is mostly because of how active this bird can be, which means that it will be difficult for humans to capture it or get too close to them without the rufous-vented ground-cuckoo noticing and avoiding them. However, suppose their population becomes smaller than it has been previously. In that case, there may need to be some type of intervention performed by conservationists who want to make sure these birds stay around for many generations.
Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa is a medium-sized bird that can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America. Of its seven identified subspecies, only the Purple-throated is found in North America. The purple cocoa is a brightly colored bird with an iridescent purple throat and a greenish-brown body with a purplish-gray underside.
The most distinguishing characteristic of the purple cocoa is its elongated feathers along the outer edge of the wings that form a loose fringe at rest.
In-flight, these fringes are very evident by obscuring the primary coverts on both wing surfaces. In addition to bright colors, the male purple cocoa is known for its distinct vocalization. The male purple cochoa is a very vocal bird with a series of repeated short notes that end with a distinct hiss.
Purple-breasted Cotinga
The purple-breasted cotinga can be found in South America as well as parts of Central Africa. They live at a high elevation and often travel from one area to another as food sources change. The diet for this bird mainly consists of different types of fruit, though they will also eat other insects and small animals if those are available.
The purple-breasted cotinga has a very brightly colored body that is mainly a purple color with some red mixed in around their throat. Their wings are a deep black color, contrasting against their other colors, which helps them stand out from other birds in the air. They have no pattern on them whatsoever, making it even more likely for people to notice them flying around in the trees.
Purple-breasted cotingas are currently considered to be at a slightly higher risk for becoming an endangered species in the future, but not enough that they should cause any real concerns. This is mostly because of how active this bird can be, which means it will be difficult for humans to capture it or get too close to them without the purple-breasted cotinga.
Violet Sabrewing
The violet sabrewing is a North American bird of the hummingbird family. The bird ranges from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica. You can find them in different locations near orchards, gardens, parks, and other areas with flowering plants. They are often seen on long vines that dangle from trees or bushes.
Within their range, this small bird is common throughout the year except for the winter rainy season in southern Mexico and Central America. It also can be found in dry scrub forests east of the Andes Mountains. They are most often observed at mid-level canopy levels but will dart around to catch insects on flowers below them as well as flowers above.
It has a bright purple throat and a purplish-blue crown. The upper parts are otherwise dark olive green. Its bill is whitish at the tip with a black subterminal band and dark culmen, base of lower mandible, and feet. In Central America, violet sabrewings have been observed mixed with brown-billed sabrewings of the genus Campylopterus and Mexican Jacobin hummingbirds from the same genus and buff-tailed coronets that also share a common range in this region.
Purple-backed Thornbill
The purple-backed thornbill is a small bird of the Australian forests. It is found from northern Queensland south to southeastern New South Wales.
There are three subspecies of this purple-backed hornbill found, one that is in Australia and two others that are found in New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands. The male purple-backed thornbill has a dark purple back with a greenish breast and throat. The female has a brownish back and lacks a dark chest patch.
The purple-backed thornbill is most often observed on the forest floor, poking through leaf litter for insects with its brush-like bill or searching among fallen fruit for food such as arthropods or berries.
It will also occasionally feed on nectar from eucalypt blossoms or follow tractors along roads to feed on the insects turned up by the machinery.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
The Violet-bellied Hummingbird is a tiny bird – only 4.5 inches long – found in parts of South America. These birds are known for their high rate of metabolism and migratory patterns. The Violet-bellied Hummingbird is an amazing diverse species of hummingbirds that have been spotted on the riverbanks, as well as on the mountainsides.
These birds are often found flying around in pairs or sometimes alone.
The male of the species can be identified because it has a very distinct purple chest and belly; however, the female is not as colorful. The violet-bellied hummingbirds will travel over 2,000 miles during their migratory pattern, which is why they are so small – because of the lack of food throughout much of their journey, this bird has evolved to be so small. It also helps that this specific bird doesn’t eat nectar-like most other species within its family. The Violet-bellied Hummingbird prefers to feed on wildflowers rather than cultivated ones, making them even more unique because most hummingbirds feed on nectar instead of flowers.
One thing that is very interesting about this bird is that it doesn’t have a tongue. Instead, the Violet-bellied hummingbird has a very long beak, making it easy to drink nectar from flowers.
Another exceptional trait about these birds is how well camouflaged they are; for such tiny birds, you’d rarely see them coming and going due to their ability to blend into the surroundings.
The range of this specific type of hummingbird covers parts of Peru and Colombia – including tropical forests – so if you happen to find yourself within those areas, keep your eyes peeled because there might just be a highly specialized and beautiful violet-bellied hummingbird near you!
Purple Gallinule
Purple Gallinules are beautiful birds. They have a small body with a long slim neck and long legs. A purple-colored plumage covers their whole body. They inhabit the wetlands of Central and South America. They will eat anything from fish to algae or even insects – making them omnivorous.
Purple Gallinules do not migrate, but they may move around during dry times in search of food or to find better wetland habitats. The population is declining due to the destruction of wetland habitat, hunting for their eggs, capturing them for pets, and other animals in the ecosystem.
Purple-crowned Fairywren
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is a small songbird found in eastern Australia. It can be seen as far as south as Sydney and as far north as Cooktown. The female has a purple crown and patch on each side of the head. Along with the pink bills, it gives them an attractive look. Male Fairywrens also have dark purple upper parts with white edges on the wing and tail feathers. These purple and white colors make it one of the most attractive bird species in Australia.
It’s 2.5 inches long, and its head is found to be bright yellow, except the purple crown, which one can only see during the breeding season.
This bird feeds on insects and fruit, but they are primarily insectivores. They are not able to perch on the ground, though, so they feed on trees and bushes, but oftentimes their prey include spiders, beetles, ants, butterfly larvae, caterpillars, and grasshoppers.
Costa’s Hummingbird
One of my favorite birds to watch was a very small hummingbird with a deep purple color throughout its body, including a metallic green crown on top of its head. Other than being one of the most common colors in this region, it also has a few peculiar sex-based features that you just might not expect.
Costa’s Hummingbirds are quite small, with their weight ranging from 2 grams to 3 grams. The males are quite territorial, and even though they are smaller, they will try to defend their territory against anything or anyone that might want to enter. This can lead to some aggressive behavior with other male hummingbirds in the area.
The male Costa’s hummingbirds have a metallic green crown but a throat that is shimmering purple. Their chest is a similar color, and their belly is white with some iridescence showing the same purple color from the throat area. The female hummingbirds are quite different in appearance, they have no iridescence on their belly, and instead, it is pure white with some areas of gray. Females also don’t have any highlights around their eyes as males do.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Fork-tailed Woodnymph is small to medium-sized birds. Males are typically purple, blue, or violet with silver on their wings, while females are brown or gray. They live in the US and Central America, and they spend most of their time high up in trees or bushes. They make their nests in holes in trees.
Fork-tailed woodnymph eats nectar, berries, insects, and spiders. They are related to hummingbirds since they both have long beaks to help them drink nectar, but Fork-tailed Woodnymphs don’t hum while flying.
Violet-crowned Woodnymph
The violet-crowned woodnymph might be the prettiest bird that you will ever lay your eyes on. Its name is descriptive – because of its lightly feathered head, it almost looks like it has a purple crown. It’s no wonder why these birds are known for their acts of beauty!
In spite of how beautiful they are, these birds are actually very shy and will usually try to get away from humans as quickly as they can. This makes them difficult to observe in the wild, but if you’re lucky enough to find one on a garden feeder or in a nearby bush, then you’ll be able to watch them up close while they go about their daily routine. But don’t stare too long, or they might just fly away!
Azure-crowned Hummingbird
If you stare at any one of the hyacinth azure hummingbirds, then your eyes will start watering after a while. These birds are known for their bright and piercing colors, which extend from their vibrant purple feathers to their glittering green throats. Their vivid coloring makes it difficult for predators to focus on them against the backdrop of wild bushes, which means that these little birds might be able to avoid being eaten more easily than other types of hummers. They’re also very small and light, which is perfect considering how many bees and wasps they come into contact with during the day.
The hyacinth azure hummingbird is known to live in Southern Mexico and various parts of Central America. Still, its population is dwindling because humans have created a major disturbance in their usual habitats. They’re also at risk from predators such as eagles and spiders! Researchers want to help these birds, so they can continue observing them in the wild and studying how their numbers drop over time. So the next time you see one of these little guys, make sure you admire it up close – but don’t get too close!
Purple-throated Woodstar
The Purple-throated Woodstar is a medium-sized hummingbird with a purple band extending from its beak down to its rump feathers.
They only reside in the mountains of the Andes region.
However, they may be difficult to spot as they prefer dense forest and brush on higher mountain slopes.
The purple-throated woodstar can grow to about 4 inches in length. Male birds have a white belly and chest with a purple band that extends from its bill on down over their backside. Females lack the colorful throat patch of males but do have some purple underneath their tails.
Male Purple-throated wood stars are very territorial during the nesting season, keeping all males away from their chosen territory. Males will fight off rivals using their bills and feet as weapons. Their favorite food is nectar from flowers likes Lobelia, Fuchsias, Lantana, Salvia, and Erythrina. During the winter months, they migrate south to Argentina.
Female Purple-throated Woodstars lack the colorful throat patch of males but do have some purple underneath their tails.
Hartlaub’s Turaco
The Hartlaub’s Turaco is a purple bird that is native to Africa. They are commonly found in the savannah regions of southern Ethiopia and northern South Sudan, but there are also sightings of them in Kenya and Uganda. It has an average length of 17 inches, with males being slightly larger than females. The wingspan averages out to be 22 inches long. Like other turacos, it has bright blue-black hair on its head and back.
They are also famous for their large, blue-colored beak, which is about an inch in length. The inside of their mouth is yellow in color.
The Hartlaub’s Turaco has a diet consisting mostly of plants and berries. They can also eat insects if they are available.
Wompoo Fruit-Dove
The Wompoo Fruit-dove is an interesting species of bird native to Australia. It’s notable for its purple coloring on the wings and tail, speckled with lilac around its eyes. Female birds are often brownish in coloration, with drab greenish plumage on the underside.
Male birds are very colorful in comparison, with indigo feathers that give them a purple tint. They have spear-like head plumes that they display at one another during mating season to attract female attention. Plumage in this region is shorter, but the colors are just as vibrant. They have a crest at the back of their heads comprised of stiff feathers that help them maintain balance when they fly.
They have a very large range, so they are found in many different habitats throughout eastern Australia. They feed on fruit-related foods, often small berries and native plants. Despite their aggressive appearance, these birds are relatively peaceful toward other species. They will leave other animals alone as long as they are not under attack or approached too closely.
Purple Flakeback Puffleg
At first glance, you would think this bird is purple. But if you look closely, it’s actually blue! The striking purple color on the coverts (the back feather) of the Purple Flackback Puffleg is only visible when light reflects on them. This makes them appear purple, depending on how the light bounces off of them. Besides their beautiful coloring, they are relatively small with long legs that help them wade through the grass to find food or fly away from predators. They usually have 2-5 chicks at once and need plenty of insects to feed themselves and their young ones—a beautiful bird in a beautiful color.
Purple Glossy-Starling
The Purple Glossy-Starling is a bird that lives in certain parts of Africa. Earlier sightings of the birds were in Zimbabwe, but it has been spotted in Zambia and South Africa recently.
The Purple Glossy-Starling has a very interesting purple color. Most people will notice the purple color before anything else, but this bird has some additional features worth noting. One such feature is its large feet and claws. The feet and claws help it to climb trees for fruits and other foods that grow in these areas. Another feature worth noting is its yellow beak with a hefty hook at the end where its nostrils are located. The sharpness and size of these physical traits contribute to how well the bird can pick up food from trees and branches without damaging the fruit or needlessly destroying foliage to get to food sources.
Wompoo Fruit-Dove
The Wompoo Fruit-dove is an interesting species of bird native to Australia. It’s notable for its purple coloring on the wings and tail, speckled with lilac around its eyes. Female birds are often brownish in coloration, with drab greenish plumage on the underside.
Male birds are very colorful in comparison, with indigo feathers that give them a purple tint. They have spear-like head plumes that they display at one another during mating season to attract female attention. Plumage in this region is shorter, but the colors are just as vibrant. They have a crest at the back of their heads comprised of stiff feathers that help them maintain balance when they fly.
They have a very large range, so they are found in many different habitats throughout eastern Australia. They feed on fruit-related foods, often small berries and native plants. Despite their aggressive appearance, these birds are relatively peaceful toward other species. They will leave other animals alone as long as they are not under attack or approached too closely.
Conclusion
I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of birds in my life, but I have never seen any as beautiful as these purple-colored ones!
They are truly amazing, and the best part is that they exist on this earth. You can find them all over if you know where to look for them.
The views from their nests are always picturesque, and it feels like your soul could fly away with just one glance at those majestic creatures sitting atop a tree branch or flying through the air gracefully.
If you love nature, then be sure to take care of our planet because we need more people who will protect wildlife habitats so that future generations may enjoy watching these incredible animals live out their lives happily free from human interference. It makes me want to jump into the computer screen and cuddle with those little purple birds!