White-throated Daggerbill
Schistes albogularis
Fairly small hummingbird found on the west slope of the Andes from central Colombia to southwestern Ecuador. Both sexes mostly green with short, straight bill. Males have green throat and crown with purplish patches on neck sides and a bold broken white collar. Females have white throat. Inconspicuous; look for singles at flower patches in understory of foothill and subtropical forest and edge, from around 800-2,000 m.
Identification
The white-throated daggerbill is 8.6 to 9.3 cm (3.4 to 3.7 in) long and weighs 3.5 to 4.1 g (0.12 to 0.14 oz). It gets its name from the tip of its bill, which is very narrow and sharply pointed. Both sexes are generally green overall. Males have a shiny green forehead, violet-blue patches on the sides of the throat that can extend well up into the face, a white band across the upper chest, and a small white patch behind the eye. Females' foreheads are not shiny, the throat patches are smaller and mostly blue, and they have an unmarked white throat.
Taxonomy
The white-throated daggerbill has often been considered conspecific with what is now the only other member of its genus, Geoffroy's daggerbill (S. geoffroyi) under the name "wedge-billed hummingbird". The South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithological Society split them in June 2018 and the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the Clements taxonomy, and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) followed suit. Later all of them except HBW adopted the "daggerbill" English name; HBW uses the name "western wedge-billed hummingbird". Some authors have suggested that the genus be merged into that of the visorbearers, Augastes. The white-throated daggerbill is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Schistes albogularis
- Authority
- Gould, 1852
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Schistes
Range and habitat
The white-throated daggerbill is found from the western Andes and the west slope of the Central Andes of Colombia south into western Ecuador. It inhabits the interior and edges of dense cloudforest, often near streams. In elevation it ranges between 800 and 2,000 m (2,600 and 6,600 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The white-throated daggerbill is mostly sedentary but makes some elevational dispersion after the breeding season.<p>The white-throated daggerbill forages in dense vegetation from near the ground to medium heights. It collects nectar from tubular flowers of a variety of shrubs, vines, and small trees and often "robs" nectar by piercing the base of a flower. It also captures small insects on the wing or sometimes by gleaning from vegetation.<p>Nothing is known about the white-throated daggerbill's breeding phenology.<p>The white-throated daggerbill's song is "a series of two different high-pitched notes repeated, 'tsit...seet...tsit...seet...', at an irregular pace".
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Ochre-lored Flatbill
Tolmomyias flaviventris
Small, yellowish-olive flycatcher that ranges mainly in northern and eastern South America as well eastern Panama. Distinguishing features include its yellow throat and breast, orange face, thick wingbars, and wide bill. Similar to Olive-faced Flycatcher, which used to be considered the same species and called Yellow-breasted Flycatcher. Note their different ranges, which mostly do not overlap. Ochre-lored Flycatcher has a brighter face with a hint of orange, more distinct wingbars, and has a different voice. Its most common call is a piercing whistle given alone or in a slow series. Occasionally also gives well-spaced rasping calls. Inhabits secondary forest and light woodland, usually avoiding the interior of mature forest.
White-rumped Swallow
Tachycineta leucorrhoa
A small swallow usually seen flying low over open and semiopen areas near water. Glossy blue-green above and white below. Note the white forehead and rump. Similar to White-winged Swallow, but lacks white in wings (although juvenile White-winged can show limited white). Told from Chilean Swallow by the presence of a white forehead.
Speckle-throated Woodpecker
Campethera scriptoricauda
An attractive medium-sized woodpecker with an olive-green back and spotted pale underparts. Males have a red crown, nape, and moustache streak, while females have a black crown, a red nape, and a black-and-white moustache streak. Both sexes have a streaked black patch behind the eye. Found in savanna and woodland, including miombo. Very similar to Bennett’s Woodpecker, but there is little overlap in range; note Reichenow’s darker face. Females are further distinguished by their lack of brown cheek and throat patches. Fairly similar to Golden-tailed and Mombasa Woodpeckers, but distinguished by the spotted rather than striped breast. The vocalizations include burry nasal churring and whooping notes, often given by a group in chorus.
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