Venezuelan Sylph facts for kids
The Venezuelan sylph (Aglaiocercus berlepschi) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. It lives only in a small part of north-eastern Venezuela. This tiny bird is considered an endangered species, which means there are not many of them left in the world.
Quick facts for kids Venezuelan Sylph |
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Aglaiocercus
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| Species: |
A. berlepschii
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| Aglaiocercus berlepschi (Hartert, 1898)
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Contents
About the Venezuelan Sylph
The Venezuelan sylph is a special kind of hummingbird. Scientists sometimes think it might be a subspecies of the Long-tailed Sylph. However, it is unique to its small home in Venezuela.
Being an endangered species means that its population is very low. Organizations like BirdLife International keep track of these birds. They work to protect them and their homes.
What the Venezuelan Sylph Looks Like
Venezuelan sylphs are known for their bright colors. The males and females look quite different from each other.
Male Venezuelan Sylph
The male Venezuelan sylph is about 22 centimeters long. A big part of this length comes from its very long outer tail-feathers. These feathers can be 14 to 15 centimeters long!
Most of the male's body is a shiny, green color. Its throat is a bright blue. The long outer tail-feathers are violet, and they turn blue towards their tips.
Female Venezuelan Sylph
The female Venezuelan sylph is much smaller than the male. She is only about 9.5 to 11 centimeters long. Her tail is shorter than the male's, but it is still quite long and slightly forked.
Females have a blue crown on their head. Their throat, breast, and belly are all white.
Comparing with the Long-tailed Sylph
The Long-tailed Sylph looks very similar to the Venezuelan sylph. However, these two types of hummingbirds do not live in the same areas. This helps scientists tell them apart.
There are a few differences in their appearance too:
- Males of a Long-tailed Sylph group called caudatus have a mostly blue tail. They also do not have the blue throat patch that the Venezuelan sylph males have.
- Males of another Long-tailed Sylph group called margarethae have green tips on their tail-feathers.
- Female Long-tailed Sylphs have a reddish-brown (called rufous) breast and belly. This is different from the white breast and belly of the female Venezuelan sylph.
