Blue-tailed hummingbird

The blue-tailed hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanura), is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae.

Blue-tailed hummingbird
Amazilia cyanura. Museum specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Saucerottia
Species:
S. cyanura
Binomial name
Saucerottia cyanura
Synonyms

Saucerottia cyanura

Taxonomy

This species was formerly placed in the genus Amazilia. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that the genus Amazilia was polyphyletic.[2] In the revised classification to create monophyletic genera, the blue-tailed hummingbird was moved to the resurrected genus Saucerottia.[3][4] Three subspecies are recognised:[1][4]

  • Saucerottia cyanura guatemalae - occurs in the southeastern part of the state of Chiapas in Mexico and southern Guatemala
  • Saucerottia cyanura cyanura - occurs from southern Honduras to eastern El Salvador and northwestern Nicaragua
  • Saucerottia cyanura impatiens - occurs in northwest and central Costa Rica
Distribution map of Saucerottia cyanura

Description

Saucerottia cyanura can reach a length of 9–10 millimetres (0.35–0.39 in). These hummingbirds show a metallic deep green plumage, a characteristic deep blue tail and in proper lighting chestnut or rufous wings. Rump and uppertail coverts are purplish. The bill is black. Females are duller than males and have a grayish belly, and less rufous wings. This species is very similar to steely-vented hummingbirds (Saucerottia saucerrottei) and to berylline hummingbirds (Saucerottia beryllina).[5]

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.[1][6]

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and heavily degraded former forest. These hummingbirds can be found in humid and dry oak or pine forests, in open woodlands and in coffee plantations, at altitudes of 3,300 feet or lower.[5]

Behaviour

Saucerottia cyanura feed on nectar of many flowers, but especially of Inga flowers.[5] It is also an agile flycatcher.[7]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Amazilia cyanura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. McGuire, J.; Witt, C.; Remsen, J.V.; Corl, A.; Rabosky, D.; Altshuler, D.; Dudley, R. (2014). "Molecular phylogenetics and the diversification of hummingbirds". Current Biology. 24 (8): 910–916. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.016.
  3. Stiles, F.G.; Remsen, J.V. Jr.; Mcguire, J.A. (2017). "The generic classification of the Trochilini (Aves: Trochilidae): Reconciling taxonomy with phylogeny". Zootaxa. 4353 (3): 401–424. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4353.3.
  4. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  5. Arizmendi, M. C., C. Rodríguez-Flores, C. Soberanes-González, and Thomas S. Schulenberg. 2013 Neotropical Birds On Line T. S. Schulenberg, Editor
  6. Avibase – The world bird database
  7. Focus on nature
  • del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International
  • Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2011. - The Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.6.


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