Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii)

Identification & Behavior: ~17 cm (6.7 in) (male), 10.5 cm (4.1 in). (female). The male Long-tailed Sylph is all green with a reduced blue gorget. The tail is very long, deeply forked, and iridescent blue-green. The female is green above with a blue cap and a shorter iridescent green forked tail. The throat and breast are white with greenish specks. The center of the belly and vent areas are generally rufous. The female is similar to a female Booted Raquet-tail but is distinguished by the blue cap, rufous lower belly, and a green forked tail. The male Long-tailed Sylph is unmistakable in its range.

Status: The Long-tailed Sylph is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1200-2500 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Silfo de Cola Larga.

Sub-species: Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii mocoa), (DeLattre and Bourcier), 1846. C Andes of S Colombia (E Nariño), Ecuador and N Peru (to Cajamarca).
(Aglaiocercus kingii smaragdinus), Gould, 1846. E Andes of Peru (S from Amazonas) and WC Bolivia (to Cochabamba).

Meaning of Name: Aglaiocercus: Gr. Aglaia, aglaos =  splendor and kerkos=  tail. kingi: In honor of Philip Parker King (1791-1856) Royal Navy, surveyor in Australia 1817-1822 and tropical America 1825-1830, collector.

See more of the Family Trochilidae