Venezuelan Sylph
Aglaiocercus berlepschi
Unmistakable, long-tailed hummingbird with straight, short bill. Male has very long, brilliant blue tail and iridescent blue throat; female very different, with shorter, white-tipped tail and whitish underparts. Found alone inside humid forests or edges at low to mid heights in montane regions. Typical vocalizations are electric and short, repeated constantly. No similar species in its very limited range, though male very similar to more widespread Long-tailed Sylph. Endemic to the Turimiquire region of northeastern Venezuela.
Identification
The male Venezuelan sylph is 22 cm (8.7 in) long including the 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) outer tail feathers and weighs 5.5 g (0.19 oz). Females are 9.5 to 11 cm (3.7 to 4.3 in) long and weigh 4.5 g (0.16 oz). Both sexes have a short black bill. Males have a dark glittering green crown and a shining green back. They have a glittering blue gorget and bronzy green underparts with puffy white thighs. The inner tail feathers are short and blue-green; the outer ones are very long and deep violet at the base becoming blue at the end. Females have a glittering blue crown; otherwise their upperparts are similar to the male's. Their throat, breast, and belly are white with green spots. Their tail is short and slightly forked, blue-green with white tips on the outer feathers. Immatures resemble adult females with buffy fringes on the head feathers.
Taxonomy
The taxonomy of genus Aglaiocercus and of the Venezuelan sylph in particular are complicated. The genus also includes two other sylphs, the long-tailed (A. kingii) and violet-tailed (A. coelestis), and the three have several times been suggested to be either one species, or two with the Venezuelan being a subspecies of the long-tailed. Several additional species have been proposed for inclusion but they have almost conclusively been shown to be hybrids with kingii or one of the other sylphs. Since at least the early 2000s taxonomists have settled on the three-species treatment. The Venezuelan sylph is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Aglaiocercus berlepschi
- Authority
- (Hartert, EJO, 1898)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Aglaiocercus
Range and habitat
The Venezuelan sylph occurs where Sucre, Monagas, and Anzoátegui states meet. It is found in two ranges of the Turimiquire Massif, the eastern Cordillera de Caripe and the western Serranía de Turimiquire. It inhabits subtropical forest and scrubland on coastal mountain slopes between 1,450 and 1,800 m (4,800 and 5,900 ft) of elevation.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eurasian Treecreeper
Certhia familiaris
An inconspicuous little bird (plumage blends well with bark) of woods, forests, and gardens with larger trees. Usually seen as singles or pairs, creeping along trunks and branches using its tail for support, like a mini-woodpecker. Probes in crevices for insects and spiders, and often spirals up then drops to low on the next tree and spirals up again. In areas where Short-toed Treecreeper also occurs, the two species are often not safely distinguished without considerable experience; look for “uneven steps” on the wing, whiter sides, and slightly shorter bill. Listen for high, thin “tseee”s and trills. Song is a lovely series of falling whistles, typically preceded by short trills and concluded with a flourishing rising whistle.
Purplish-backed Quail-Dove
Zentrygon lawrencii
Plump ground-dwelling dove, not very colorful compared with other quail-doves. Gray overall, darker brownish on wings, with paler whitish face and dark mustache line. Pinkish-red legs. Iridescent purple patch on back can be difficult to see. Sexes alike. Prefers forests, usually on the ground unless flushed up into the lower levels of a tree. Like most quail-doves, often best seen by quietly walking along trails at dawn and dusk.
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustris
Plain tit with a grayish-brown body and contrasting black-and-white head pattern. Very similar to Willow Tit and difficult to separate, but note the general lack of a prominent wing panel, smaller-headed appearance, and smaller, neater bib. These criteria, however, are generally more reliable in western European range than in Asian range. Inhabits deciduous woodland, older orchards, and gardens; sometimes visits bird feeders. Voice is diagnostic in western Europe, but much less so in Asia; song is a repetitive series of “chew” notes (essentially a slow trill) and calls include a bright “pitchu, pitchu” and “tsiptsip.” Favors deciduous wooded habitat.
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