Chiribiquete Emerald
Chlorostilbon olivaresi
Poorly known hummingbird found only in the remote Chiribiquete Mountains in southeastern Colombia, far from the Andes. Male is iridescent green with a bluish tail. Female has pale underparts, black mask, and white stripe behind the eye. Very similar to the widespread Blue-tailed Emerald, but larger and longer billed. Inhabits scrubby areas in the higher parts of the mountains, and avoids dense forest.
Identification
The Chiribiquete emerald is 8.5 to 9 cm (3.3 to 3.5 in) long. Males weigh about 3.8 g (0.13 oz) and females about 3.6 g (0.13 oz). The male's bill has a black maxilla and a red mandible with a black tip. The male's upperparts are metallic green, the uppertail coverts bluish green, and the tail dark steel blue with a shallow fork. The sides of its head and neck reflect golden green. Its throat and upper breast are glittering blue-green and the rest of the underparts bright metallic green. The female's bill is black with a red tinge at the base of the mandible. The female is metallic bronze breen above and pale gray below. It has a dusky face and a white stripe behind the eye. Most of its tail is bluish green; the outer feathers have gray bases, a dark blue band near the end, and white tips.
Taxonomy
The Chiribiquete emerald was first described in 1996. Its specific epithet olivaresi honors Fr. Antonio Olivares to recognize his contributions to Colombian ornithology and his persisting effort in building a bird collection for the Instituto de Ciencias Natural of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.<p>It is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Chlorostilbon olivaresi
- Authority
- Stiles, 1996
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Chlorostilbon
Range and habitat
The Chiribiquete emerald is restricted to the Serranía de Chiribiquete, a range of flat-topped mountains straddling south central Colombia's Guaviare and Caquetá departments. There it primarily inhabits the open scrub and savanna of the range's middle and upper elevations. It also occurs in the forest at somewhat lower elevations but shuns the lowlands that surround the mesas. In elevation it ranges between 800 and 1,600 m (2,600 and 5,200 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Foothill Screech-Owl
Megascops roraimae
Small, cryptically patterned, yellow-eyed owl of forest in lowlands and foothills, where it tends to stay well hidden in the understory. Occurs on the east slope of the Andes and into the lowlands, as far south as Bolivia and as far east as the Guyanas. Cannot be identified readily by sight, but it is the only screech-owl throughout most of its range and within its habitat. Song is a purring trill that can easily be mistaken for the purring of a toad or insect. Plumage varies from grayish brown overall to reddish.
Golden-crowned Tanager
Iridosornis rufivertex
Distinctive tanager found in the temperate zone of the Andes from western Venezuela to northwest Peru. Mostly dark cobalt blue with black head and bright yellow cap. Also note rufous undertail coverts in most of range. Uncommon. Singles or pairs move slowly in the understory of montane forest and scrubby edge up to treeline. Sometimes but not always follows a mixed-species flock. Can be inconspicuous.
Retz's Helmetshrike
Prionops retzii
A gregarious, cartoon-like, mostly black-and-brown helmetshrike with a piercing orange eye, red legs and eye-wattles, and an orange-tipped red bill. Flocks of 2 to 15 birds inhabit mature broadleaf woodland and riverine and coastal forest, avoiding arid habitats. When not breeding, flock size may increase to 30 and groups may join other species, including White Helmetshrike, in mixed-species flocks. Calls are complex and include grating, whistling, and nasal notes.
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