Ornismya Delphinae (protonym) The brown violetear (Colibri delphinae) is a large hummingbird that breeds at middle elevations in the mountains in Central America, and western and northern South America (primarily the Andes and the tepuis) with isolated populations on Trinidad and in the Brazilian state Bahia.

It is replaced at higher altitudes by its relative, the lesser violetear (C. cyanotus), but their ranges overlap widely.

The brown violetear is typically found high in the canopy of the rainforest, tall second growth and coffee plantations, but it will feed at lower levels at edges and clearings.

The nest is a small cup of plant down saddled on a twig 1–3 m. high in a bush, into which two white eggs are laid.

The song is a vigorous repetition of the chit call, and is delivered by up to several dozen breeding males in loose leks.