Sapphire-spangled Emerald

Saphiramazilie ( Amasilia lactea )

The Saphiramazilie ( Amasilia lactea ) is a species of bird in the family of hummingbirds ( Trochilidae ). The species has a large distribution area, the South American countries of Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia covers. The stock is assessed by the IUCN as endangered not (Least Concern ).

Features

The Saphiramazilie reaches a body length of only about 9 centimeters and a weight of about 5 grams. The straight beak is up to 20 millimeters long. The black upper mandible differs markedly from the flesh reddish lower mandible with dark tips. The top of the wing-coverts and underside are dark bronze-green. The throat shines in dark blue. Behind the eye of the hummingbird has a white spot. The belly center strip and the rump are white. The white under tail-coverts adorn a dark shaft line. The wings are schwärzlichpurpurn, while the tail is blackish.

Distribution and habitat

You can see the bird in open to semi- open plains. He often comes easy in gardens around inhabited houses. It is found in forest edges, especially near rivers. In Venezuela he was first observed up to 1100 meters in altitude on Auyán - tepui.

Subspecies

So far, three subspecies of Saphiramazilie are known, which differ mainly by their coloring and the distribution area.

Behavior

The hummingbird builds its nest cup-shaped and horizontally on the branches. The nest is usually made of cotton tree, winged seeds and spider threads that hold together the nest. Incubation period is 14 days in the period from November to January. An egg weighs approximately 0.46 grams.

Alternate Name

Karl -Ludwig Schuchmann and André- Alexander Weller divided the genus into the following Amasilia different genres, including based on the historical classification of Peters 1945:

  • Leucippus
  • Amasilia
  • Agyrtria
  • Polyerata
  • Saucerottia

The Saphiramazilie they arranged a under the scientific taxon Polyerata lactea. There are however contrary opinions. Thus the South American Check -list Committee has doubts about the reorganization of Amasilia due to missing data. Ernest Thomas Gilliard 1941 used the name Agyrtrina lactea zimmeri for its subspecies.

Auyán-tepui Bahia John Gould William H. Phelps, Jr.
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