Fire-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon)

Order: Apodiformes | Family: Trochilidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

fire-throated_metaltail
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Satipo Road, Peru

fire-throated_metaltail
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. Satipo Road, Peru

fire-throated_metaltail
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Satipo Road, Peru

fire-throated_metaltail
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. Satipo Road, Peru

Identification & Behavior: ~10.5 cm (4.1 in). The male Fire-throated Metaltail is mostly dark green with an iridescent purple gorget. The tail is dusky (theresiae) or green (parkeri). The female is also mostly green with a less developed or absent gorget and a tail with whitish tips on the outer feathers. Both sexes have a notched tail. The bill is relatively short, black and straight. It may resemble a Neblina Metaltail, but their ranges do not overlap.

Status: Endemic. The Fire-throated Metaltail is uncommon in the humid elfin forest, forest edges, and associated shrubbery on the east slope of the Central Andes at elevations ranging between 3100-3800 m.

Name in Spanish: Colibrí Barba de Fuego.

Sub-species: Fire-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon), Cabanis, 1874.

Meaning of Name: Metallura:  Gr. Metallon= metal and oura= tail. eupogon: Gr. Eu= fine, beautifu and pōgō pōgōnos= beard.

See more of the Family Trochilidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
fire-throated metaltailVoice

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.