Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis)

Order: Apodiformes | Family: Trochilidae | IUCN Status: Endangered

royal_sunangel
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. San Martin, Peru

royal_sunangel
Age: Adult & Subadult | Sex: Male | Loc. San Martin, Peru

royal_sunangel
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. San Martin, Peru

royal_sunangel
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. San Martin, Peru

Identification & Behavior: ~10.5 cm (4.1 in).  The male Royal Sunangel is overall deep blue with a deeply forked tail. The female is green above with a speckled throat bordered below with a brownish pectoral band. The rest of the underparts are greenish. The tail in the female if forked, but not as deeply forked as in the male. The bill is black and straight. The similar female Amethyst-throated Sunangel ranges at higher elevations. The adult male is unmistakable.

Status: Endemic. The Royal Sunangel is overall uncommon but can be locally common at elevations ranging between 1350-2200 m.

Name in Spanish: Angel-del-Sol Real.

Sub-species: Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis regalis), Fitzpatrick, Willard and Terborqh, 1979. Extreme S Ecuador and N Peru (Cajamarca, Amazonas) on isolated Cordillera del Cóndor and E slope of Andes (San Martín, Loreto).
(Heliangelus regalis johnsoni), Graves, Lane, O’Neill, and Valqui, 2011. Andes of N Peru (Cordillera Azul).

Meaning of Name: Heliangelus: Gr. Hēlios= sun, angelos= angel. regalis: L. royal, regal.

See more of the Family Trochilidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
royal sunangelVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 08/01/2015.