Booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii)

Identification & Behavior: ~11.5 cm (4.5 in). The male Booted Racket-Tail is all green with a large iridescent green gorget. The leg tufts are well developed and chestnut. The racket-like  outer tail feathers form a “Lyre” in the northern birds (peruvianus), or cross each other in southern birds “annae”.  The female is emerald green above and white heavily speckled with emerald green below. It has rudimentary chestnut leg tufts. The tail is green on the upperside with large white tips. The male is unmistakable. The female is very similar to the female Rufous-vented Whitetip, but is distinguished by a smaller size, chestnut vent, and rudimentary leg tufts.

Status: The Booted Racket-Tail is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging 1000-2400 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Colibrí Cola de Raqueta.

Sub-species: Booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii peruanus), Gould 1849. E Ecuador and NE Peru (S to Huánuco).
(Ocreatus underwoodii annae), Berlepsch and Stolzmann 1894. E slope in C & S Peru (Pasco to Cuzco).

Meaning of Name: Ocreatus:  L. ocreatus, ocrea= greave, legging, booted, greaved.
underwoodii: In honor of Cecil Frank Underwood (1867-1943) English naturalist, taxidermist in Costa Rica 1889-1943.

See more of the Family Trochilidae