Rufous-breasted sabrewing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-breasted sabrewing |
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Campylopterus
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hyperythrus
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The rufous-breasted sabrewing (Campylopterus hyperythrus) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. These small, fast birds are known for their bright colors and quick movements. You can find them living in parts of Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela.
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About Its Family
The rufous-breasted sabrewing is a special kind of bird because it is monotypic. This means it is the only type of its species, and there are no different subspecies or variations of it.
Long ago, some people thought another bird, the buff-breasted sabrewing, was a type of this bird. But now we know they are separate species. They are very close relatives, almost like "sister species" in the bird world.
What It Looks Like
The rufous-breasted sabrewing is a small bird, about 10.4 to 12 cm (4.1 to 4.7 in) long. That's about the length of your hand! Male birds weigh around 6.8 g (0.24 oz), and females are a bit lighter at 5.4 g (0.19 oz). Both males and females look very similar.
They have a fairly thick beak that is mostly black. The bottom part of their beak, called the mandible, is pinkish or light brown near their face. Their face is a warm cinnamon-red color, with a darker "mask" area and a small white spot right behind each eye.
Their upper body feathers are a shiny coppery-green to bronzy-green. Their chest and belly are the same cinnamon-red color as their face. The two middle feathers of their tail are reddish to golden-bronze. The three outer tail feathers on each side are cinnamon-red.
Where It Lives
You can find the rufous-breasted sabrewing on special flat-topped mountains called tepuis. These mountains are found where northwestern Brazil, western Guyana, and eastern Venezuela meet.
These hummingbirds like to live in wet montane forests, which are forests found in mountainous areas. They especially like the edges of these forests, areas where the forest has been disturbed, and nearby scrubby (bushy) places. They live at elevations between 1,000 and 2,000 m (3,300 and 6,600 ft) high.
How It Behaves
Movement
Scientists believe the rufous-breasted sabrewing lives in the same area all year round. However, the number of these birds seen in one place can change. This makes some people think they might move around a bit during different seasons.
Feeding
We don't know a lot about how the rufous-breasted sabrewing finds its food or exactly what it eats. We do know that it sips nectar from flowers at all different heights in its habitat.
Sometimes, a hummingbird will protect a group of flowers from other birds. But up to 20 rufous-breasted sabrewings have been seen feeding together in one flowering tree! Like most other hummingbirds, they probably also eat small arthropods, which are tiny insects and spiders.
Life Cycle
Very little is known about how the rufous-breasted sabrewing reproduces. They build a cup-shaped nest. Reports say they place their nests about 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) above the ground. However, there are no detailed descriptions of their nests or breeding habits.
Vocalization
The song of the rufous-breasted sabrewing might be as simple as a series of "chip" notes. When they are flying around and looking for food, they make a weak, nasal "sqeeek" sound that seems a bit strained.
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the rufous-breasted sabrewing. They have decided that it is a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently worried about it becoming endangered.
This hummingbird lives in a specific area, and we don't know exactly how many there are. However, experts believe their population is stable, meaning the number of birds is not going down. The only real threat they face might be changes to their habitat due to a warming climate. For now, they are considered to be quite common.
