Pink-throated brilliant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pink-throated brilliant |
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Heliodoxa
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| Species: |
gularis
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The pink-throated brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. It's part of a group of hummingbirds called "brilliants." You can find this tiny bird living in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
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About This Hummingbird
Scientists group living things to understand them better. The pink-throated brilliant is a kind of hummingbird. For a while, it was thought to be the only bird in its own special group, or genus, called Agapetornis and then Agapeta.
Later, in the middle of the 1900s, scientists decided it fit better with other hummingbirds in the Heliodoxa group. This bird is also monotypic, which means it's the only species in its group without any different subspecies or types.
What Does It Look Like?
The pink-throated brilliant is a small bird, usually about 11 to 12 centimeters (4.3 to 4.7 inches) long. Both male and female birds look very similar.
Colors and Features
They both have a bright, shiny pinkish-red patch on their throat. This is how they got their name! The female's throat patch is a bit smaller than the male's.
Their beak is mostly straight and black. They have a small white spot right behind each eye. Their upper body is a shining green color. They also have a cool, iridescent green stripe in the middle of their forehead that shimmers in the light.
Their chest is also a shining green, while their belly is gray. The feathers under their tail are whitish. Their tail is long and forked, and it's a bronzy-green color.
Where Does It Live?
The pink-throated brilliant mostly lives in the southern part of Colombia's Eastern Andes mountains. From there, its home stretches into Ecuador, reaching provinces like Sucumbíos and Napo.
There have also been a few sightings of this bird in the northeastern part of Peru.
Its Home Environment
This hummingbird prefers to live in humid montane forests. These are forests found in mountainous areas where there's a lot of moisture. You can find them at elevations between 250 and 1,050 meters (820 to 3,440 feet) above sea level.
How It Behaves
Movement
Scientists believe the pink-throated brilliant is a sedentary bird. This means it tends to stay in one place and doesn't usually migrate or travel long distances.
Feeding Habits
The pink-throated brilliant has been seen feeding on nectar from certain flowers. It especially likes the flowers of Psittacanthus and other plants from the Loranthaceae family. Besides nectar, these hummingbirds also eat insects.
Reproduction
Not much is known about how the pink-throated brilliant reproduces or its breeding habits. Scientists are still learning about this part of its life cycle.
Vocalization
The song of the pink-throated brilliant is thought to be a repeated, nasal sound like "keuw." This sound can also be heard as a single note when the bird is flying or when it's feeding.
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has assessed the pink-throated brilliant as a species of "least concern." This means that, for now, it's not considered to be in immediate danger of extinction.
However, its forest home is still being cleared for things like farming, raising animals, mining, and cutting down trees for wood. While it lives in a few protected areas in Colombia, there are currently no protected areas for it in Ecuador.
