Scaled metaltail facts for kids
The scaled metaltail (Metallura aeneocauda) is a beautiful hummingbird that lives in the mountains of Bolivia and Peru. It's known for its shiny, metallic-looking tail feathers.
Quick facts for kids Scaled metaltail |
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Metallura
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aeneocauda
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Contents
About This Bird
Hummingbirds are amazing birds, and the scaled metaltail is one of them! There are two slightly different types, or subspecies, of the scaled metaltail. They are called M. a. aeneocauda and M. a. malagae. For a while, people thought M. a. malagae might be a completely separate species, but now it's considered a subspecies.
What Does It Look Like?
The scaled metaltail is about 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long. That's about the length of your hand! It's also very light, weighing only about 5.2 to 5.4 g (0.18 to 0.19 oz). This is less than a quarter coin.
It has a straight, black beak that is not too long. The male bird of the main subspecies has bright green feathers on its back. Its tail is a beautiful, shiny sky blue. It can also have bronzy-green colors on top and sparkling green underneath. The feathers on its throat, called a gorget, are a bright, shiny green. The rest of its belly is green with a scaly look. This comes from the tan edges of its feathers.
Female scaled metaltails look a lot like the males. However, their throat patch is smaller. Their belly feathers also look more mottled, or spotted. Young birds look similar to the females.
The other subspecies, M. a. malagae, is similar. But the top of its tail is a bronzy red color, and the underside is red. It also has a slightly longer beak.
Where Does It Live?
The main subspecies of the scaled metaltail lives on the eastern side of the Andes mountains. You can find it from the Cordillera Vilcabamba in southeastern Peru. It also lives south into northwestern Bolivia, in the La Paz area.
The M. a. malagae subspecies is found near Inkachaka in central Bolivia. This is in the Cochabamba Department.
These birds like to live in clearings and edges of cloudforests. They also like "elfin forests," which are forests with small, twisted trees. You might also see them on rocky slopes with small plants and bushes. They live at high elevations, from about 2,500 and 3,600 m (8,200 and 11,800 ft) high. They are most common above 3,000 m (9,800 ft).
Behavior
Movement
Scientists believe the scaled metaltail mostly stays in one place. This means it is "sedentary." However, some birds might move into other areas. These areas include páramo (a type of grassland) and lower montane forests.
Feeding Habits
The scaled metaltail loves to drink nectar from many different kinds of flowers and bushes. It often clings to the flower while it feeds. Male birds will protect their feeding areas from other birds. Besides nectar, these hummingbirds also eat a lot of insects.
Reproduction
Not much is known about how the scaled metaltail reproduces. Scientists have not yet found its nest or fully studied its breeding habits. It seems that their breeding season includes the months of May and June.
Vocalization
The scaled metaltail has a special call it uses when it's chasing another bird. It sounds like a series of 3 to 6 squeaky notes that go down in pitch. After that, it makes a repeated, buzzy, jumbled sound like "trt-tsee-seee-seee-sew..trr-tsee-tsew..trr-tsee-tsew..".
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has said the scaled metaltail is a species of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently at high risk of disappearing. We don't know exactly how many scaled metaltails there are. However, their numbers are thought to be going down.
Even though it's not at high risk now, it could become vulnerable in some places. This is because people sometimes burn grasslands regularly. The good news is that this bird lives in at least one protected area in both Peru and Bolivia.
See also
In Spanish: Metallura aeneocauda para niños
