Black Metaltail

Black Belly Glanzschwänzchen

The Black Belly Glanzschwänzchen ( Metallura phoebe ), sometimes called Rußglanzschwänzchen, a species of bird in the family of hummingbirds ( Trochilidae ). The species has a large distribution area, which is about 140,000 square kilometers in the South American Andean countries of Peru and Bolivia, includes. The stock is by the IUCN as " not at risk " ( least concern ) classified.

Features

Black Belly Glanzschwänzchen reach a body length of 11.5 to 12.5 centimeters. The beak reaches a length of 15-17 millimeters. Thus, the black belly - Glanzschwänzchen is larger than most other Glanzschwänzchen species. In addition, the plumage is much darker than other Glanzschwänzchen. While the males are almost black, the females are more likely to smoke gray. Its long tail is copper red. On the neck, the males have a blue-green stain, which is slightly smaller in females.

Habitat

You can find the bird in mountain shrubs and open forests. The preferred tree species include, but are present in the Andean Polylepis species. Often you can see the hummingbird in the valley of the Marañón. Local populations were seen in the intermontane valleys of Pasco and Junín. The bird is found at altitudes 2700-4300 meters. It is believed that the bird up in the north of Chile is verbreteit. Two older collected specimens believed to originate from Bolivia.

Subspecies

At the moment no subspecies of the black abdominal Glanzschwänzchen are known. The species is considered monotypic.

Etymology and History of Research

Pierre Adolphe Delattre and René Primevère Lesson described the black abdominal Glanzschwänzchen under the name Ornismya phoebe. The type specimen came from the Cordilleras of Peru and collected from Delattre during his journey through America. Only later did he slammed the genus Metallura.

The word Metallura derives from the Greek words " from Metallon μεταλλον " for " metal " and " oura ουρά " for " tail ."

The word " phoebe " refers to " Phoebe ", a Titan in Greek mythology.