Collared Inca
Coeligena torquata
This large, flashy hummingbird is a common resident throughout much of the Andes, where it inhabits lush cloud forest and frequently visits feeders. Note the white breast patch and long, straight bill. The white tail markings really stand out when it flares its tail, which it often does when interacting with other hummers around feeders. Male is darker than female, sometimes almost black, which makes his colorful crown patch more evident. Birds found south of central Peru and north of the Colombia-Venezuela border region are now considered to be separate species, Gould’s Inca and Green Inca respectively.
Identification
10–14 centimetres (3.9–5.5 in) in length, with a rather long (3–3.5 centimetres (1.2–1.4 in)), straight, black beak. Under most lighting conditions Coeligena torquata torquata appears black except for a very large and distinctive white chest-patch. However, in ideal lighting other features can be discerned: a shimmering metallic violet forehead patch in males, white thighs, fleshy-dusky feet, shimmering green throat in males, dull and containing some white in females, and some dark green mixed in with the black of the body. The tail of both genders is black except for white on the basal half of the outer four rectrices, and part of the underside. The female is slightly lighter green overall than the male and has a slightly smaller chest-patch<p>Vocalizations are infrequent. Quiet, low-pitched, reedy whistle "tu-tee." Longer series of "pip... pip..." Very quiet spitting sound when foraging.
Taxonomy
The collared inca is a member of subfamily Lesbiinae, the so-called "typical hummingbirds", of family Trochilidae. The family is placed by some taxonomic systems in the order Apodiformes, which contains swifts as well as hummingbirds. Others assign hummingbirds and swifts to order Caprimulgiformes.<p>Collared incas found in different parts of their range tend to have certain morphological features characteristic of that region, and are considered separate subspecies. The species' taxonomy is unsettled.<p>The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and the Clements taxonomy recognize these five subspecies:<p>The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (SACC) includes three additional subspecies: C. t. conradii (Bourcier, 1847), C. t. omissa (Zimmer, J.T., 1948), and C. t. inca (Gould, 1852). The IOC and Clements treat conradii as the species green inca and the other two as Gould's inca. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) recognizes the green inca and Gould's inca, and in addition separates C. t. eisenmanni as the species Vilcabamba inca. The SACC is seeking proposals for recognizing these taxa as species.
- Scientific name
- Coeligena torquata
- Authority
- (Boissonneau, 1840)
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Coeligena
Range and habitat
Humid subtropical and temperate forest regions, including cloud forests on both slopes of the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia between 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) and 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), usually above 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) in Ecuador. It typically forages below half the height of the canopy, and can most often be found around thickets near the forest edge.<p>It is fairly common throughout most of its range. No reasons for concern have been claimed.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Like other hummingbirds, the collared inca obtains most of its energy from nectar, which it drinks while it in turn pollinates the flower, and feeds on insects and other small insect-like arthropods as a source of protein. It seems to prefer epiphytes. It is a solitary trap-liner, meaning that it forages alone by flying a routine route between several flowers.<p>Two single females of other Coeligena species have been observed caring for two offspring each. The nests were 1–2 metres (3.3–6.6 ft) above ground, about 7 centimetres (2.8 in) tall and wide, with an interior cup about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) deep and wide, and were composed of seed down and other materials. The eggs were completely white and measured about 1.5x1 cm. The mother visited once or twice every hour, to feed the young for a period of 9–55 seconds.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Cyanocorax sanblasianus
Handsome blue-and-black jay of tropical forests, woodlands, and gardens endemic to west Mexico. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked; often with Yellow-winged Caciques. Around the town of San Blas (in Nayarit, Mexico), appreciably larger Purplish-backed Jay occurs at southern end of its range (and northern end of San Blas Jay’s range). Purplish-backed is deep purplish blue on back and tail, not strikingly two-toned blue-and-black like San Blas Jay, and has bright yellow legs. Voices also very different. Purplish-backed occurs in mangroves and adjacent woodlands in and around town while San Blas Jay occurs in foothill forest of coffee plantations south of town.
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