Longuemare's Sunangel
Encyclopedia
Longuemare's Sunangel is a species of hummingbird
found in Venezuela
and northeastern Colombia
. It is closely related to the Amethyst-throated Sunangel
, and species limits in this complex are unclear.
, this species comprises four subspecies: H. c. clarisse in the Colombian Andes
from Norte de Santander to the latitude of Bogotá
; violiceps in the Sierra de Perijá (only in Zulia
in Venezuela); H. c. verdiscutus in southeastern Norte de Santander, Colombia, and southern Táchira
, Venezuela; and H. c. spencei isolated in Mérida, Venezuela.
Originally spencei was described as a separate species and the other three species were considered subspecies of the Amethyst-throated Sunangel
, whose undoubted populations live in Ecuador
and Peru
. Other arrangements have been suggested, and many authorities lump all of these groups with the Amethyst-throated. A review by the American Ornithologists' Union
's South American Check-list Committee stated that the situation is unclear and any decision is arbitrary until more data are available.
Males are dark green above except that the crown is velvety black in verdiscutus and spencei, purplish in violiceps, and dull green in clarisse. They have a narrow, glittering blue "frontlet" above the bill. Behind the eye is a bold white spot. They have a glittering pinkish-purple throat above a white crescent crossing the chest, which in turn has a green lower border—glittering in violiceps and verdiscutus, shining in spencei. The rest of the breast and belly is shining dark green mixed with gray. The undertail coverts
are white except in spencei, where they are buff. The tail is long and broad, bronze-green to blackish, with tiny white tips on the two outer feathers.
Females resemble males but are duller, and white feather bases may show in the throat.
Vocalizations are little-known. Foraging spencei individuals give a "short, low-pitched, cricketlike trill" very similar to a call of the Orange-throated Sunangel
. Among the vocalizations of verdiscutus is "a single, upward-inflected tsit" repeated about every half-second.
forests, especially edges and openings, as well as brushy pastures and damp ravines with bushes; spencei prefers forest interiors. Its altitude range is 1800 to 3100 meters.
Three of the subspecies are common, spencei much less so.
and similar plants of the heath family
, it behaves territorially. However, within forests, it flies along "trap-lines" from one flowering vine
, epiphyte
, or shrub (such as Palicourea
) to the next. It feeds on nectar by hovering in front of flowers or clinging. In addition, it occasionally catches airborne insects in short flights. It feeds actively in the midst of mixed-species flocks
when they pass.
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
found in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and northeastern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is closely related to the Amethyst-throated Sunangel
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
The Amethyst-throated Sunangel is a species of hummingbird.It is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest....
, and species limits in this complex are unclear.
Distribution and taxonomy
As defined here following the Handbook of the Birds of the WorldHandbook of the Birds of the World
The Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...
, this species comprises four subspecies: H. c. clarisse in the Colombian Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
from Norte de Santander to the latitude of Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
; violiceps in the Sierra de Perijá (only in Zulia
Zulia
Zulia State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Maracaibo. In June 30, 2010, it had an estimated population of 3,821,068, giving it the largest population among Venezuela's states. It is located in the northwestern part of the country...
in Venezuela); H. c. verdiscutus in southeastern Norte de Santander, Colombia, and southern Táchira
Táchira (state)
Táchira State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Cristóbal.Táchira State covers a total surface area of 11,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,177,300....
, Venezuela; and H. c. spencei isolated in Mérida, Venezuela.
Originally spencei was described as a separate species and the other three species were considered subspecies of the Amethyst-throated Sunangel
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
The Amethyst-throated Sunangel is a species of hummingbird.It is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest....
, whose undoubted populations live in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Other arrangements have been suggested, and many authorities lump all of these groups with the Amethyst-throated. A review by the American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
's South American Check-list Committee stated that the situation is unclear and any decision is arbitrary until more data are available.
Description
This species is 9.4 cm (3.7 inches) long (not including the bill) and weighs 5.3 grams, on average. The bill is short for a hummingbird—1.8 cm or 0.7 in long. The overall impression is of dark plumage.Males are dark green above except that the crown is velvety black in verdiscutus and spencei, purplish in violiceps, and dull green in clarisse. They have a narrow, glittering blue "frontlet" above the bill. Behind the eye is a bold white spot. They have a glittering pinkish-purple throat above a white crescent crossing the chest, which in turn has a green lower border—glittering in violiceps and verdiscutus, shining in spencei. The rest of the breast and belly is shining dark green mixed with gray. The undertail coverts
Bird anatomy
Bird anatomy, or the physiological structure of birds' bodies, shows many unique adaptations, mostly aiding flight. Birds have a light skeletal system and light but powerful musculature which, along with circulatory and respiratory systems capable of very high metabolic rates and oxygen supply,...
are white except in spencei, where they are buff. The tail is long and broad, bronze-green to blackish, with tiny white tips on the two outer feathers.
Females resemble males but are duller, and white feather bases may show in the throat.
Vocalizations are little-known. Foraging spencei individuals give a "short, low-pitched, cricketlike trill" very similar to a call of the Orange-throated Sunangel
Orange-throated Sunangel
The Orange-Throated Sunangel is a species of hummingbird.It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.-References:...
. Among the vocalizations of verdiscutus is "a single, upward-inflected tsit" repeated about every half-second.
Habitat
It inhabitsHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
forests, especially edges and openings, as well as brushy pastures and damp ravines with bushes; spencei prefers forest interiors. Its altitude range is 1800 to 3100 meters.
Three of the subspecies are common, spencei much less so.
Behavior
Longuemare's Sunangel generally flies and perches fairly low. Along forest edges with rich patches of flowers such as PsammisiaPsammisia
Psammisia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It contains the fruiting bushes commonly called Joyapas and is distributed throughout the Neotropics.Species include:*Psammisia aberrans*Psammisia amazonica...
and similar plants of the heath family
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
, it behaves territorially. However, within forests, it flies along "trap-lines" from one flowering vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
, epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
, or shrub (such as Palicourea
Palicourea
Palicourea is a plant genus in the family Rubiaceae. It contains about 200 species, which range in habit from shrubs to small trees, and is distributed throughout the New World tropics....
) to the next. It feeds on nectar by hovering in front of flowers or clinging. In addition, it occasionally catches airborne insects in short flights. It feeds actively in the midst of mixed-species flocks
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
when they pass.