Green Inca
Coeligena conradii
Flashy green and white hummingbird of Andean cloud forest. It is nearly endemic to Venezuela, but also reaches into Colombia near the border. Rather large and long-billed with a bold, white breast patch. White tail markings really stand out when it flares its tail. Male’s upper throat is green, and female’s is pale buff. Often seen feeding on red, tubular flowers and sometimes visits feeders. Formerly considered a subspecies of Collared Inca.
Identification
The green inca is about 14.5 cm (5.7 in) long; one female specimen weighed 6.7 g (0.24 oz). Adult males are mostly grass green, with a wide white collar across the upper breast. Their outer tail feathers are mostly white with green tips and their wings are brownish. Females are also mostly grass green above but with a smaller white collar and a rusty throat with green spots. The rest of their underparts are grayish with green mottling and spots.
Taxonomy
The International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the Clements taxonomy, and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) recognize the green inca as a species. The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society treats it as a subspecies of the collared inca (C. torquata) but is seeking a proposal to recognize it as a species.
- Scientific name
- Coeligena conradii
- Authority
- (Bourcier, 1847)
- Order
- Caprimulgiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Coeligena
Range and habitat
The green inca is found in the Andes of northwestern Venezuela between the states of Trujillo and Táchira and in northern Colombia's Norte de Santander Department. It inhabits the interior and edges of humid montane cloudforest. In elevation it mostly ranges between 1,800 and 3,000 m (5,900 and 9,800 ft) but can be found as low as 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
As far as is known, the green inca is a year-round resident throughout its range.<p>The green inca forages by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of flowering plants. It mostly feeds from the understory to the forest's mid-level but also sometimes in the canopy. It feeds on nectar from Cavendishia, Fuchsia, plants of family Ericaceae, and others such as vines. It also catches insects by hawking from a perch or by gleaning while hovering.<p>Nothing is known about the green inca's breeding biology.<p>The green inca's most common vocalization is "a squeaky chatter". It also makes "a soft, low, reedy whistle "tu-tee", "a longer series...pip..pip..pip...", "a repeated phrase such as tsi-tsi-tsiririt...tsi-tsi-tsiririt...", and while foraging a "short spit or tsit".
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Unicolored Jay
Aphelocoma unicolor
Well-named, this uniformly deep-blue jay occurs locally in highland evergreen and pine-evergreen forest. Like most jays, usually found in groups, often in association with mixed-species feeding flocks that include orioles, woodcreepers, and other jay species. Most likely confused with southern forms of Steller’s Jay, which occur in the same areas. Steller’s has bold white face spots, darker plumage with barring on wings, and short crest (which can be held flat). Also note rather different voices.
Necklaced Woodpecker
Dryobates pernyii
Fairly small, stout black-and-white woodpecker with buffy underparts. Male is brightly marked with a flaming orange patch on the neck, a crimson crown, and a dull orange vent. Also note the red chest patch bordered with a black stripe. Females are duller, but sometimes have a paler orange neck and breast patch. Similar in coloration to Darjeeling and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, but Crimson-breasted is noticeably smaller and stouter. Inhabits mid- to high-altitude broadleaf forests. Gives a loud “chik!”, as well as a descending rattle.
White-vented Violetear
Colibri serrirostris
Medium-sized hummingbird with a spangled green body, white vent, and prominent violet-blue ear patches, which are sometimes erected. Mostly found in wooded savannas and forest edges, and frequently visits feeders.
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