Xantus's Hummingbird
Basilinna xantusii
Stocky, medium-sized hummingbird of the southern half of Baja California peninsula. No similar species in its limited range; endemic. Favors scrubby woodland, pine-oak woods in mountains, desert scrub, gardens; comes to feeders. Both sexes have a black mask, bold and thick white ear-stripe, red base to the bill, and bright rusty tail. Male head and throat often appear black, but in the right light throat flashes brilliant green. Female has pale cinnamon underparts.
Identification
Xantus's hummingbird is 8.5 to 9.5 cm (3.3 to 3.7 in) long. Males weigh an average of 3.5 g (0.12 oz) and females 3.4 g (0.12 oz). Their bills are straight and about 1.7 cm (0.67 in) long; males' are red with a black tip. Females' maxilla is black with a pinkish base and their mandible pinkish red with a black tip. Males have a golden green to emerald green crown, nape, and upperparts with rufous edging on the uppertail coverts. Their forehead and chin are black, their face mostly black with a wide white stripe behind the eye, and their throat iridescent emerald green. Their underparts are cinnamon with some green mottling on the flanks and pale cinnamon undertail coverts. Their tail is rufous chestnut; the innermost pair of feathers have wide iridescent green edges and the other four pairs thin green edges. The females' face is blackish brown with a pale buffy stripe behind the eye. Their forehead is dull brownish and their upperparts iridescent golden green with some rufous edging on the uppertail coverts. The underparts including the throat and undertail coverts are pale to medium cinnamon. Their tail's central pair of feathers are golden green with a rufous shaft and the other four pairs dark rufous that pales towards the end, a black and bronzy green band near the end, and thin white tips.
Taxonomy
Xantus's hummingbird was early placed in genus Basilinna, which predated its discovery, then moved to genus Hylocharis, and then in the early 2000s moved back to Basilinna. It shares that genus only with the white-eared hummingbird (B. leucotis). It is monotypic.<p>It is named for John Xantus de Vesey (Xántus János), a Hungarian zoologist who collected the first specimen.
- Scientific name
- Basilinna xantusii
- Authority
- (Lawrence, 1860)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Basilinna
Range and habitat
Xantus's hummingbird is found from central Baja California south to the peninsula's tip. It has also been recorded as a vagrant twice in California and once in British Columbia. The species inhabits arid woodlands of scrub, oak, and pine-oak at elevations between 150 and 1,500 m (490 and 4,900 ft) and also visits coastal desert, gardens, and feeders.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Medium-sized greenish bird with a bright yellow underside and black head. Occurs in a variety of habitats, wherever there are trees, including forest, open woodlands, and gardens, in the lowlands and foothills. Usually encountered in pairs or small groups. Yellow throat and lack of black in the wing separates this species from Black-hooded Oriole. Unmarked, black head identifies Black-capped Bulbul from Yellow-eared and Yellow-browed Bulbuls. Song is series of warbling whistles, rising at the end, “wet-wet-wet-wer-wer-wer-weer.” Also gives churring calls.
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