Gorgeted sunangel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gorgeted sunangel |
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| male in northwestern Ecuador | |
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| female in northwestern Ecuador | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Heliangelus
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| Species: |
strophianus
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The gorgeted sunangel (Heliangelus strophianus) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. It's known for its bright colors, especially around its throat. You can find this special bird living in the countries of Colombia and Ecuador in South America.
Contents
About the Gorgeted Sunangel
The gorgeted sunangel is the only species in its specific group of birds. This means it's quite unique!
What Does It Look Like?
This hummingbird is about 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) (4 to 4.3 inches) long. It weighs around 5.3 g (0.19 oz), which is about as light as two pennies! Its beak is short, black, and straight.
Both male and female gorgeted sunangels are mostly a dark, velvety green color. They have a small white spot behind each eye and a dark blue tail. Their lower belly is dark green with some gray spots.
Male vs. Female
Male and female gorgeted sunangels look a little different. This is called "sexual dimorphism."
- The male has a tiny, sparkling green patch just above its beak. Its throat and upper chest have a bright, shimmering rose to violet patch, called a gorget. Below this, there's a white band across its chest.
- The female's chin is dark gray-brown. Her feathers have white edges, and sometimes she might have a few sparkling rosy feathers like the male.
Young birds look similar to the female, but their white chest band is thinner.
Where Does It Live?
The gorgeted sunangel lives in southwestern Colombia and parts of western Ecuador. It prefers to live in wet, humid forests that are found on the lower slopes of mountains. You might also spot it at the edges of these forests, where there are lots of shrubs and thick plants.
These birds especially like damp, wet areas within the forest, like ravines. They usually live at elevations between 1,200 to 2,800 m (3,900 to 9,200 ft) (about 3,900 to 9,200 feet) above sea level. They are not very common at the highest parts of this range.
How It Behaves
Movement
Scientists don't know much about how far gorgeted sunangels travel. It's thought that they might move to different elevations depending on the season.
Eating Habits
You'll usually see a gorgeted sunangel by itself. This suggests that it might protect its own feeding area from other birds. It mostly eats nectar from flowers, especially low-growing ones. Sometimes, it will feed higher up in the trees.
This hummingbird likes to stay hidden in or near plants and avoids open spaces. While we know it loves nectar, other hummingbirds in its family also eat insects.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The main time for gorgeted sunangels to lay eggs is between October and December. However, it might start even earlier. The female bird lays two white eggs. She then sits on them to keep them warm until they hatch. We don't know much else about how these birds raise their young.
Sounds It Makes
The gorgeted sunangel has a unique song. It's a repeated series of two or three high-pitched "pseee" notes, followed by a slightly lower "tsip" note. Its call sounds like a dry chattering noise, then a soft "kr..krr..krr..whee.." It also makes a high-pitched twittering sound.
What About Its Future?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the gorgeted sunangel as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. However, we don't know exactly how many of these birds there are, and their numbers are thought to be slowly going down. Luckily, they are fairly common in many areas where they live and are found in some protected natural parks.
