Neblina metaltail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neblina metaltail |
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Metallura
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| Species: |
odomae
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The neblina metaltail is a type of hummingbird found in Ecuador and Peru. People in those areas sometimes call it 'metalura neblina' or 'colibrí de neblina'. It belongs to a group of hummingbirds known as "coquettes".
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About the Neblina Metaltail
Scientists first officially described the neblina metaltail in 1980. This happened after special trips (expeditions) by a museum from Louisiana State University. It is a unique species, meaning it does not have different subspecies.
What Does It Look Like?
The neblina metaltail is a small bird, about 9 to 10.5 centimeters (3.5 to 4.1 inches) long. Males weigh around 5.2 grams (0.18 ounces), and females are a bit lighter at 4.8 grams (0.17 ounces). They have a straight, black beak that is medium in length.
Male and Female Colors
Adult males have shiny dark green feathers on their upper body. Their tail is slightly forked and looks dark olive green on top. Underneath, the tail shines with a golden green color. The sides of their head and neck can be bronzy olive or coppery bronze. They have a special patch of feathers on their throat called a gorget, which is a bright reddish purple to rosy red. The rest of their underside is olive bronze with buffy (light yellowish-brown) spots.
Adult females look a bit less colorful than the males. Their throat has rosy red spots. The rest of their underside is tan with many bronzy spots.
Where Does It Live?
The neblina metaltail lives in the Andes mountains in South America. You can find it from northern Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador south into the Piura and Cajamarca areas of Peru.
Its Home in the Mountains
This hummingbird likes to live at the edges of "elfin forests" and páramo areas. These are moist places high in the mountains with lots of shrubs and small trees. The word "neblina" means fog or mist in Spanish, which describes its misty mountain home. It usually lives at elevations between 2,600 and 3,650 meters (8,500 and 12,000 feet) above sea level. It is most common between 2,900 and 3,400 meters (9,500 and 11,200 feet).
How It Behaves
Movement and Daily Life
The neblina metaltail stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate to other places.
What It Eats
This hummingbird mainly drinks nectar from flowers. However, scientists do not know many specific details about its diet. Male neblina metaltails will protect their favorite feeding spots from other birds. Besides drinking nectar, they also catch small arthropods (like insects) by flying out from a perch to grab them.
Reproduction and Nests
Not much is known about how the neblina metaltail breeds. Only one nest has ever been found, and a female was sitting on it in August. The nest was shaped like a cup and was mostly made of moss. It had lichens on the outside and was placed in a small hole on a rock wall.
Its Calls
The sounds the neblina metaltail makes have been described in different ways. Some say it makes a "loud seet-seet-seet-ti-tttt". Others describe its call as "a jerky, wiry chatter."
Is It Endangered?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) keeps track of how many animals are left in the wild. They first thought the neblina metaltail was "Threatened." Then, in 2004, they changed it to "Near Threatened." Finally, in 2012, its status was updated to "Least Concern." This means it is not currently at high risk of disappearing.
Even though there are fewer than 6,700 adult birds, and their numbers seem to be going down, much of their home is in remote, protected areas. These areas are not heavily damaged. The neblina metaltail is quite common in many parts of its range, but it is more localized in Ecuador.
