Veraguan Mango
Anthracothorax veraguensis
Rather large hummingbird with a slightly decurved bill, extremely similar to Green-breasted Mango, and range overlap is not perfectly understood. Apparently Veraguan Mango mostly replaces Green-breasted from the Osa Peninsula to Panama City. Male is entirely green with dark purplish tail. Look for blue stripe running down the center of throat and breast (not black like Green-breasted Mango). Females have white underparts with dark greenish line running down the center; nearly identical to Green-breasted Mango. Juveniles have orange bordering the white underparts. Found in habitats including forests, second growth, gardens, and mangroves.
Identification
The Veraguan mango is a medium-sized hummingbird species, reaching lengths of 11–12 cm. Both sexes are metallic green with a slightly decurved, dark grey beak, and black tail feathers with a red circle central to each feather. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism. Males have a blueish breast and belly, whilst females have a white-cream belly with a dark teal stripe running down the breast. The morphology of the Veraguan mango is very similar to that of the Green-breasted mango, however it differs by the lack of black plumage on the throat. The black ventral stripe seen in the Green-breasted mango is teal coloured in female Veraguan mangos.
Taxonomy
Due to its similar morphology and overlapping distributions, the Veraguan mango was considered conspecific with the Green-breasted mango and was included in the species Anthracothorax prevostii. It was described as its own species, Anthracothorax veraguensis due to morphological differences such as the lack of black plumage on its underside. An analysis of the Trochilidae found that within the genus Anthracothorax, A. prevostii and A. veraguensis are indeed sister species.
- Scientific name
- Anthracothorax veraguensis
- Authority
- Reichenbach, 1855
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Anthracothorax
Range and habitat
The species is named for the region it was first discovered in, Veraguas Province in Panama. However, it is common throughout much of the Pacific coastline of Panama and into Costa Rica. Until recently it was considered endemic to Panama, but has now been sighted in the southern Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. In 2009 it was added to the official list of birds of Costa Rica. Like other hummingbird species, the Veraguan mango feeds on nectar and invertebrates. It has been observed feeding on the flowers of Erythrina gibbosa in Costa Rica, and other species in the genus Erythrina at other locations.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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