Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer

The chestnut belly - hooked beak ( Diglossa gloriosissima ) is a species of bird in the family of tanagers ( Thraupidae ). The range of this endemic species is restricted to the South American country Colombia. The stock is assessed by the IUCN as endangered ( Endangered ).

Features

The chestnut belly - hooked beak reaches a body length of about 14.5 to 15 centimeters. The upturned black bill has a hooked tip. The eyes are dark. The vast majority of the plumage ( top, wings, throat. Sections of the breast) of the male is glossy black. The breast and belly are chestnut brown. The small coverts are blue-gray. At the rump is unobtrusive slate-colored. The female is very similar. The rump is colored blue-gray than in the male, while the shoulder patches are a bit gray.

Distribution and habitat

The bird comes in the Andes to the west front of Popayán. Heretofore three sites known in which it was observed. He was spotted in the Páramo de Frontino and at Cerro Paramillo in the department of Antioquia and the Cerro Munchique in the Cauca Department. Its habitat is located near the timberline at altitudes 3000-3800 meters. He moves in a semi- moist to wet bush landscapes and cloud forests, partially bordered very close to the vegetation typical of Páramo.

Behavior

It is currently not known much about the behavior of the Maron belly - hooked beak. It is thought that he like the steel hooked beak ( Diglossa lafresnayii ) behaves, as some authors are of the opinion that it is a subspecies of D. lafresnayii. One of his greatest adversary, in terms of the territory, the Black -throated hooked beak ( Diglossa brunneiventris ).

Subspecies

So far, two subspecies are known, which differ mainly by their coloration and distribution area. These are to:

• Diglossa gloriosissima gloriosissima Chapman, 1912
• Diglossa gloriosissima boylei Graves, 1990, Comes in Páramo de Frontino in Colombia ago