Lazuline sabrewing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lazuline sabrewing |
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| Lazuline sabrewing, Campylopterus falcatus | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Campylopterus |
| Species: |
C. falcatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Campylopterus falcatus (Swainson, 1821)
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| Range of C. falcatus | |
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The lazuline sabrewing (Campylopterus falcatus) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. It belongs to a group of hummingbirds called "emeralds." You can find this amazing bird in the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
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About This Hummingbird
The lazuline sabrewing is a special kind of hummingbird. It is the only species in its group, meaning there are no other very close relatives that look exactly like it.
What It Looks Like
The lazuline sabrewing is a small bird, about 11.5 to 13 centimeters (4.5 to 5 inches) long. It weighs around 6.4 to 8 grams (0.2 to 0.3 ounces). Both male and female sabrewings have a black bill that curves downwards. They also have a small white spot right behind their eye.
- Males: Their upper parts are a shiny green color, which looks even bluer on their head. Their throat and chest are a sparkling dark violet-blue. This color changes to a bright blue towards their green belly. Their tail is a pretty chestnut color. The two feathers in the middle of their tail have wide bronze-green tips.
- Females: Their upper parts are similar to the males'. They have a sparkling bluish throat. The rest of their underside is a light gray with green spots on their sides. Their tail is like the male's, but the green tips on the central feathers are smaller.
Where It Lives
The lazuline sabrewing lives in the mountains of several South American countries. You can find it in north-central and western Venezuela. It also lives along the border between Venezuela and Colombia, in a mountain range called the Sierra de Perijá. In Colombia, it's found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Eastern Andes. Its range extends south into Ecuador, as far as Napo Province.
These hummingbirds like to live in certain types of places:
- Forests that lose some of their leaves, called semi-deciduous montane forest.
- The edges of farms or plantations.
- The lower parts of high mountain grasslands, known as páramo.
- Even in gardens!
They usually live at elevations between 900 and 3,000 meters (about 3,000 to 9,800 feet) above sea level. In Venezuela, they are most common between 1,200 and 2,300 meters (about 3,900 to 7,500 feet). In Colombia, they have been seen as low as 450 meters (about 1,500 feet).
How It Behaves
Movement
Scientists believe the lazuline sabrewing stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate to different places.
Feeding Habits
The lazuline sabrewing mostly eats nectar from flowers. It usually looks for nectar in the middle or lower parts of the forest. Sometimes, it visits flowers along a regular path, like following a map. This is called trap-lining. Other times, it might defend a patch of flowers from other birds. Besides nectar, it also eats insects. It catches insects in the air or picks them off plants.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
We don't know much about the lazuline sabrewing's breeding habits. In the Sierra de Perijá, they seem to breed in June. In northern Venezuela, they probably breed in October. More research is needed to learn about their full breeding season and how they raise their young.
Vocalization
Male lazuline sabrewings have a special song. It sounds like "chik, it, chik, it splek, chat, seet, chik, seet, chik, it, chik, it..." They often sing with many different variations. They usually sing from a branch that is somewhat open, not hidden by too many leaves.
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has evaluated the lazuline sabrewing. They have listed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means that currently, there are no major worries about it becoming endangered. We don't know exactly how many of these birds there are or if their numbers are changing. No immediate threats have been found.
In the northern Andes mountains, this hummingbird is not very common and is found in scattered areas. It can be a bit sensitive to big changes in its habitat. However, it seems to do well in places changed by people, like flowering gardens and plantations. It also lives in many protected areas, which helps keep it safe.
 | Leon Lynch |
 | Milton P. Webster |
 | Ferdinand Smith |
