Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)

About the Horned Sungem
The horned sungem (Heliactin bilophus) is a species of hummingbird native to much of central Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Suriname. It prefers open habitats such as savanna and grassland and readily occupies human-created habitats such as gardens. It recently expanded its range into southern Amazonas and Espírito Santo, probably as a result of deforestation; few other hummingbird species have recently expanded their range. The horned sungem is a small hummingbird with a long tail and a comparatively short, black bill. The sexes differ markedly in appearance, with males sporting two feather tufts ("horns") above the eyes that are shiny red, golden, and green. Males also have a shiny blue head crest and a black throat with a pointed "beard". The female is plainer and has a brown or yellow-buff throat. The species is the only one within its genus, Heliactin.
No audio on this page yet
We only publish recordings we may use commercially, because this site is supported by ads. xeno-canto lists 24 recordings for this species: 2 CC BY-NC-SA. None of them permits commercial use, so there is no player here — the page is kept as a profile so the bird is not missing from the guide.
As soon as someone uploads a freely licensed recording, we mirror it and the player appears here.
Listed as recorded in Bolivia, Brazil in the xeno-canto catalogue.
Other birds you can hear here
- Amazonian Barred WoodcreeperDendrocolaptes certhiarecording
- Amazonian GrosbeakCyanoloxia rothschildiirecording
- Amazonian Streaked AntwrenMyrmotherula multostriatarecording
- Amazonian TrogonTrogon ramonianusrecording
- Amazonian UmbrellabirdCephalopterus ornatusrecording
- American Barn OwlTyto furcatarecording
These are the birds recorded alongside it, not close relatives — the site holds no other member of its genus or family yet.