30 Amazing Purple Birds [Images + IDs]

Are there any purple birds around the globe? The answer is yes, and we’re not referring to animated films.

Purple-colored birds, which come from different nations and inhabit a variety of habitats, enhance our world with their distinctive plumage. These exotic birds are beautiful to see and contribute to the ecosystem.

Purple birds include a variety of species like the violet-backed starling, purple martin, purple honeycreeper, and purple-breasted cotinga.

Many of them also have other colors mixed in with the purple, such as the purple and green bird, the purple and yellow bird, etc.

30 purple bird species are listed in this article! They are a part of nature’s beauty because of their incredible colors and feathers, and as you read on, we’re confident you’ll grow to adore them even more.

List of Purple Birds found in the world

1. Purple-breasted Cotinga

Image Source

• Scientific name: Selasphorus rufus
• Lifespan: upto 15 years
• Size: 7 in
• Native to: Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela

The family Cotingidae, which includes more than 100 species of cotingas, includes the purple-breasted cotinga. The purple-breasted cotinga loves woodlands, particularly damp rainforests.

They can hide from any prospective predators because of their purple coloring, which also works well for mating. This species of cotinga is a frugivore, much like every other bird species in the Cotingidae family (their diet consists of fruits).

It can reach a maximum height of 13 inches and may weigh between 32 and 39g. The purple-breasted cotinga, as its name implies, has purple coloration over the breast region, as well as the wings, head, neck, and back.

2. Purple Honeycreeper

• Scientific name: Cyanerpes caeruleus
• Lifespan: 17 years
• Size: 4.5 in
• Native to: Colombia and Venezuela south to Brazil, and on Trinidad

The family Thraupidae, usually referred to as the tanager family, includes the purple honeycreeper. Typically in the northern regions of the continent, it is mostly found in South America.

It lives in plantations, notably those growing cocoa and citrus, although its natural home is in the canopies of forests. These birds are tiny, at 4.5 inches tall, and weighing 12g.

They are gregarious birds that hang together in small groups and eat plant nectars like butterflies. They also eat seeds, fruits, and insects. Compared to females, who tend to be green, males have more purple hues.

3. Purple Martin

• Scientific name: Progne subis
• Lifespan: 5 to 7 years
• Size: 7.5 to 8.5 inches
• Native to: North America

The Purple Martin, a member of the Hirundinidae family of swallows, is the biggest swallow in North America. They often inhabit open spaces and close proximity to people. A migrating bird, too.

There is significant debate about whether this bird is in fact purple. To begin with, the hues of men and females vary.

Males are the ones with a dark blue hue on their wings, feet, and black beak, while females have a combination of grey, white, and steel colors. When illuminated, these hues often seem completely purple.

4. Violet-backed Starling

• Scientific name: Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
• Lifespan: 4 years
• Size: about 18 cm
• Native to: Sub-Saharan Africa

A little species of bird belonging to the Sturnidae family is the violet-backed starling. It may be found in sub-Saharan Africa, where it dwells in environments like gallery forests and open woods.

This bird prefers to stay in trees and may only seldom be seen on the ground.

The color preferences of men and females vary, and males prefer to have violet on their heads and backs. Females often have a brown top and a white bottom. Fruits, seeds, and insects are the species’ main food sources.

5. Purple Starling

• Scientific name: Lamprotornis purpureus
• Lifespan: 3 to 6 years
• Size: 3-inch
• Native to: Tropical Africa from Senegal and north Zaire east to Sudan and west Kenya

The Sturnidae family of starlings includes the purple starling. It lives in tropical Africa, notably in nations like Senegal and Sudan, and is also known as the purple glossy starling.

It remains in open forests and agricultural areas, among other habitats. True to its name, the purple starling has green wings and a purple head and body.

These birds aren’t little, standing between 22 and 23 cm tall. They are known to be talkative and eat both fruits and insects.

6. Varied Bunting

• Scientific name: Passerina versicolor
• Lifespan: up to 10 years
• Size: 4.3–5.5 in
• Native to: Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the United States south throughout Mexico as far as Oaxaca

The Cardinalidae family, usually referred to as the cardinals, includes many types of bunting. This species of songbird, also known as a passerine, may be found in places like Mexico and the United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas). Deserts and scrublands are preferred environments.

Diverse buntings are omnivores that remain on the ground and eat fruits, seeds, and insects. While the female variegated bunting is light brown, the male is a mixture of purple and scarlet.

7. Violet Sabrewing

• Scientific name: Campylopterus hemileucurus
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 13 to 15 cm
• Native to: Southern Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica and western Panama

The violet sabrewing may be found all throughout America, from the North to the South and from the Central to the South.

The violet sabrewing may be found in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama, among other places. It is one of the biggest hummingbirds ever recorded. Forests are where it mostly lives.

The male violet sabre is mostly violet, with the exception of the back (which is green). Only the neck is violet in females. Dark green and grey are their primary hues.

8. Purple Grenadier

• Scientific name: Uraeginthus ianthinogaster
• Lifespan: 7 years
• Size: 5.25 in
• Native to: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda

The purple grenadier is a species of passerine bird that belongs to the Estrildidae family, sometimes known as the estrildid finches.

This bird species lives in tropical and subtropical shrublands, and you may find it in places like Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Small birds, measuring up to 5.25 inches, are called purple grenadiers. The mature birds’ bills are crimson, but their tails are all black.

While females are predominantly cinnamon brown with a white underpart, males have purple tints on their rumps and underparts. The eyes of both sexes have patches.

9. Violet-crowned Woodnymph

• Scientific name: Thalurania colombica
• Lifespan: 3 years
• Size: 10.2 cm
• Native to: Colombia

The Trochilidae family, which includes the violet-crowned woodnymph, is often found in Guatemala, Peru, and Belize. It lives in damp woods, especially those that are subtropical and tropical.

This bird has a 10.2cm wingspan and may weigh 4.5g. While both the male and female have violet crowns, the mature male’s coloration is brighter purple than the female’s overall. The violet-crowned woodnymph eats other things than nectar. Additionally, it can eat insects.

10. Violet-bellied Hummingbird (Small purple bird)

• Scientific name: Chlorestes Julie
• Lifespan: approximately 4.2 years
• Size: 3.3 in
• Native to: Central Panama, through Columbia, extending to southwestern Ecuador and the extreme northwestern point of Peru

The name of the violet-bellied hummingbird already provides all the information we want about the species. It belongs to the family Trochilidae. In all, there are more than 361 species and 113 genera of hummingbirds.

The violet-bellied hummingbird is a member of the family. Native to the American continent, it may be found in places like Peru, Colombia, and Panama.

The violet-bellied hummingbird prefers several types of woods, including humid deciduous forests and regrowth forests. Its belly is violet in hue, as the name suggests.

11. Violet-bearded Bee-eater

• Scientific name: Meropogon forsteni
• Lifespan: 4 to 8 years
• Size: 9.8–10.2 in
• Native to: Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Meropidae family, generally known as the bee-eater family, includes the purple-bearded bee-eater. It is only found on the Indonesian island of Suwesi, however, it is not an endangered or even somewhat vulnerable species.

The burrows where these birds reside are near riverbanks, rocks, and cuts. Unlike some other bird species, they don’t establish colonies, yet you may still find some of them in pairs.

Naturally, bees make up the majority of their food, but they also consume other insects including wasps, beetles, and dragonflies. The beard is one of this bird’s defining characteristics.

12. Purplish Jay

• Scientific name: Cyanocorax cyanomelas
• Lifespan: n/a
• Size: 14 and 16 in
• Native to: Southeastern Peru and northern Bolivia south to Paraguay, southwestern Brazil and northern Argentina

The Corvidae family of birds, which includes nutcrackers, crows, ravens, jays, magpies, and other birds, includes the purple jay.

They are the biggest passerine bird on this list, along with a few others. Countries including northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, and Paraguay are home to the purple jay.

Different types of forests, such as lowland forests and subtropical or tropical dry forests, are preferred habitats. They consume fruits, eggs, reptiles, eggs, and insects.

13. American Purple Gallinule

• Scientific name: Porphyrio martinicus
• Lifespan: 7 years
• Size: 10–15 in
• Native to: Southern Florida, the Gulf and Pacific coast of Mexico, parts of Central America, and the Caribbean

The crakes and coots are members of the Rallidae family, which also includes the purple gallinule. The purple gallinule lives more on the ground than other members of its family do.

The name of this bird is also known as the yellow-legged gallinule. It may be found in Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States.

The height of this medium-sized bird ranges from 10 to 15 inches. Males and females both have purple-blue feathers, albeit males are significantly larger.

As an omnivore, the purple gallinule consumes a variety of foods, including seeds, leaves, fruits, aquatic plants, insects, spiders, frogs, snails, and more.

14. Purple-breasted Sunbird

• Scientific name: Nectarinia purpureiventris
• Lifespan: 20 years
• Size: 22 cm
• Native to:  Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

The Nectariniidae family, distinguished by its brightly coloured feathers, includes the purple-breasted sunbird as a member. Some of them have very lengthy tails.

Native to the African continent, the purple-breasted sunbird may be found in nations including Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This sunbird species lives in open woods, rainforests, savannahs, etc., much like other members of its family.

It is a nocturnal bird that may become aggressively territorial. Nectar is its primary food source, making it a pollinator. The purple hue of the breast region is where the term comes from.

15. Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

• Scientific name: Terpsiphone atrocaudata
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 23 cm
• Native to: Southeastern Asia.

The Monarchidae family, popularly known as the monarchs, includes the Japanese paradise flycatcher. The black paradise flycatcher is another name for the Japanese paradise flycatcher.

Despite what its name indicates, the Japanese paradise flycatcher may also be found in other Asian nations like China and Taiwan. Within its habitat, the paradise flycatcher is found in a variety of woodlands.

The hue of the male ranges from black to dark purple, with hints of chestnut and white. Females have shorter tails and more orange coloring. The paradise flycatcher eats fruit, nectar, fruits, spiders, and frogs in addition to insects. It is regarded as “near threatened” because of its declining population.

16. Purple-crested Turaco (Large purple bird)

• Scientific name: Tauraco porphyreolophus
• Lifespan: up to 30 years.
• Size: 46 cm
• Native to: Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Their southernmost occurrence is at the Mtamvuna River on the KwaZulu-Natal-Eastern Cape border

Previously thought to belong to the Musophagidae family, the purple-crested turaco is now included in the Turacos.

Many African nations are home to it, including Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Mozambique, and South Africa. This bird is known as the purple-crested loerie in South Africa.

This particular bird species is mostly a frugivore and is well-recognised for bringing seeds back to its nest. It has a purple crest and body, a green head, and brown and green markings on the chest and neck.

17. Western Violet-backed Sunbird

• Scientific name: Anthreptes longuemarei
• Lifespan: 4 to 5 years
• Size: 13–14 cm
• Native to: miombo and Guinea savanna

The Nectariniidae family includes the western violet-backed sunbird, commonly referred to as the Longuemare’s sunbird. Its distribution is mostly in the forests of Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, other reports situate them in Asia and Sri Lanka.

The bird’s back is a striking violet, while its other parts are diverse hues. While the ladies lack red wings, the males have red wings and a red breast.

18. Common Scimitarbill (Purple birds with long beak)

• Scientific name: Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
• Lifespan: 8 to 9 years
• Size: 26–30 cm
• Native to: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

The common scimitarbill is a member of the Phoeniculidae family of tiny African birds, commonly referred to as wood hoopoes. The common scimitarbill and other wood hoopoes are not migratory.

Angola, Botswana, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe are just a few of the nations that have it. Open forests, savannahs, and thorny shrubs are preferred environments.

The mature common scimitarbill is mostly purple, with some yellow on the male and some brown and grey on the female.

19. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

• Scientific name: Sitta frontalis
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 12.5 cm
• Native to: southern Asia from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka ‍and Bangladesh east to south China and Indonesia

The Sittidae family, usually referred to as the nuthatch family, includes the velvet-fronted nuthatch. The species is mostly found in Asia, more notably in Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal. Forests are where it like to live.

The upper portion of the velvet-fronted nuthatch is violet-blue, while the underside is white. It eats spiders and insects for food.

20. White-breasted Ground Dove

• Scientific name: Gallicolumba jobiensis
• Lifespan: 7 to 9 years
• Size: 25 cm
• Native to: New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands

The purple ground dove and white-bibbed ground dove are other names for the white-breasted ground dove. It is a member of the Columbidae family, which includes both pigeons and doves.

Islands including New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago are home to it. Forests are where it like to live. Because of the white tint of its breast region, this ground dove has earned its name. The wings and tail are purple, as well as the top portion.

In contrast to the male, the female has some red on her eyes and beak. It eats seeds, berries, leaves, and other things.

21. Purple Cochoa

• Scientific name: Cochoa purpurea
• Lifespan: 5 years
• Size: 28 cm
• Native to:  Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Turdidae, a family of thrushes, is where the purple cochoa belongs. It lives in wooded settings and is often seen throughout the Asian continent. It may be found in China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Thailand, and Nepal, among other nations.

This calm bird prefers to live alone in woodlands, where it perches on trees and avoids human interaction. The back and wings of the males are colored purple, while those of the females are rufous.

22. Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo

• Scientific name: Neomorphus geoffroyi
• Lifespan: n/a
• Size: 18 to 20 in
• Native to: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru

The Cuculidae family, generally known as the cuckoo family, includes the rufous-vented ground cuckoo. Along with cuckoos, the cuckoo family also includes roadrunners, koels, malkohas, and several other bird species.

Numerous American nations, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, are home to rufous-vented birds.

This bird’s top portions and tail are purple, while the rest of its body is brown, green, white, or very light tan in colour. Due of the population decline, it is harder to notice and is thus regarded as vulnerable.

23. Purple-crowned Fairywren (Small purple birds)

• Scientific name: Malurus coronatus
• Lifespan: 10 years
• Size: 14 cm
• Native to: Northern Australia

The Latin word corona, which means “crown,” is the source of the scientific term coronatus, which refers specifically to the purple crown on the head of the purple-crowned fairywren.

It is a member of the Maluridae family, which is indigenous to Australia. This bird lives in Australia’s moist tropics.

This bird’s plumage is normally brown, but it has a purple head and a blue tail. Its inclusion on our list was influenced by the latter. These birds are very noisy and socially monogamous.

24. Costa’s Hummingbird

• Scientific name: Calypte costae
• Lifespan: 8 years
• Size: 3.5 inches
• Native to: Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, and chaparral and sage scrub areas in coastal California

The family of hummingbirds known as Trochilidae includes Costa’s hummingbird. It is present in the arid regions of Mexico and the United States. Some may be found in gardens as well.

The Costa’s hummingbird is a little bird with several hues, including green, black, purple on its head and neck, and even white. It consumes insects as well as honey.

25. Fork-tailed Woodnymph (Small purple birds)

• Scientific name: Thalurania furcata
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 3.7 to 5.1 in
• Native to: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

The fork-tailed woodnymph, like Costa’s hummingbird, is a member of the Trochilidae family. Several American nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru, are home to it.

Fork-tailed woodnymphs enjoy wet woods, including moist lowland forests and moist montane forests. Fork-tailed woodnymphs have purple, blue, or violet males and grey or brown females.

This bird consumes nectar, spiders, berries, and several kinds of insects as food. Although it is related to hummingbirds, it lacks its primary characteristic, which is their ability to hum while flying.

26. Wompoo Fruit Dove 

• Scientific name: Ptilinopus magnificus
• Lifespan: 5 years
• Size: 18 in
• Native to: New Guinea and eastern Australia.

Similar to the other dove birds on this list, the wompoo fruit dove belongs to the Columbidae family. It is a huge fruit dove and one of several, numbering up to fifty.

Wompoo fruit doves may dwell in a variety of environments, and they often visit areas where there is an abundance of food. The top abdomen, chest, and neck of the wompoo fruit dove are all purple. The lower belly, which is more yellow than purple, is not covered by the purple.

Although there are often little variations between the sexes, males tend to be more colorful than females. Despite being colorful, these birds are seldom seen because of their reclusive lifestyles.

27. Azure-crowned Hummingbird

• Scientific name: Amazilia cyanocephala
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 3.9 to 4.5 in
• Native to: Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

The Trochilidae family of hummingbirds includes the azure-crowned hummingbird. These purple birds can be found in Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, and Guatemala, among other places in South America. The montane forest, which may be either subtropical or tropical, is its preferred environment.

Hummingbirds with azure crowns are colorful, some could even argue overly colorful. From the purple wings to the green neck to the blue head, they have an appealing range of hues. They are polygamous birds.

28. Purple-Throated Woodstar

• Scientific name: Calliphlox mitchellii
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Size: 2.7 to 3.0 in
• Native to: Colombia and Ecuador

Despite what its name suggests, the purple-throated woodstar is a hummingbird and a member of the hummingbird family. It is one of two species in the genus Philodice. The species is found in Panama, Ecuador, and Columbia. Mountain ranges and woodlands are among its habitats.

The purple throat of this bird, as its name suggests, is only seen in the male. Purple does not appear on the necks of females. These birds, which mostly consume nectar, are highly territorial.

29. Hartlaub’s Turaco

• Scientific name: Tauraco hartlaubi
• Lifespan: five to ten years and up to 30 years in human care.
• Size: 43 cm
• Native to: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

In the Musophagidae family, the Hartlaub’s Turaco may be found in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania among other nations in Africa. Its primary habitat is the Savannah, and it is also present in Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Hartlaub’s Turaco is not well understood, however, it is not a major worry. Although the males are a little bit bigger than the females, both have a tendency to have purple.

30. Purple-winged Roller

• Scientific name: Coracias temminckii
• Lifespan: n/a
• Size: 12–13 in
• Native to: the Sulawesi subregion in Indonesia

Only in Indonesia, more especially the Surawesi area, can theses purple birds be found. It is a member of the Coraciidae family, which is referred to as an old-world bird family.

This species is referred to as the purple-winged roller because birds in this family are known as rollers. The purple-winged roller has two exquisite purple wings, while other sections of its body are colored olive and azure blue.

The two genders are comparable. The purple-winged roller consumes a variety of animals, including mice, lizards, frogs, and sometimes other birds.

Conclusion

Have any of these purple birds ever caught your eye? If so, you should count yourselves fortunate. They are a sight to see, and they make it worthwhile to spend time in nature.

Thirty of these birds have been presented, some of which include multicolored feathers, such as the bird with purple and green feathers.

Please feel free to add any further purple bird species that we may have forgotten.