White-tufted Sunbeam
Aglaeactis castelnaudii
Large, dark hummingbird that inhabits a restricted range in the high Peruvian Andes. Dark orangey brown, with a rich golden tail, an iridescent purple back, and a bold white tuft on the breast. Compared to the similar Shining Sunbeam, has a darker brown head and body and a much brighter white chest patch. Found in semi-humid scrub at high elevations, especially around intermontane valleys.
Identification
An adult white-tufted sunbeam is approximately 12 cm in height and weighs 7- 8.5 g. The bill is straight and black and there is a notable patch of white feathers directly under the chin on the breast. The rest of the body is described as tawny and darkly-colored. There are iridescent feathers on the back of the bird that are most noticeable in flight and while hovering. Males and females of the species exhibit subtle sexual dimorphism.<p>Males are fuscous-black on their upper backs with a magenta reflection on their rump and lower back. Their tails are forked. The belly, side, and neck of a male are dull brown. The throat and pectoral band are blackish in color. True to their name, there is a white feather tuft on the central breast. Females are very similar to males, but have a less iridescent back and a smaller tail fork.<p>Juvenile white-tufted sunbeams have a more uniform, brown exterior with no iridescent feathers.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aglaeactis castelnaudii
- Authority
- (Bourcier & Mulsant, 1848)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Aglaeactis
Range and habitat
The white-tufted sunbeam has a small and fragmented range, estimated at a maximum of 832 km2 (approximately 321 sq mi), cumulatively. This number was calculated using the remaining tree area in their range. The species has been observed to have a range that is not restricted to a specific number of locations (i.e. the range is fragmented). These hummingbirds reside in two main areas located in Central and Southern-Central Peru. They prefer drier parts of evergreen montane forests, intermontane valleys, and open shrub. White-tufted sunbeams can often be seen perching precariously at the very top of trees; except for where their range overlaps with Shining Sunbeams (Aglaeactis cupripennis). In these areas, they are often hidden away on lower branches and within dense vegetation.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
This hummingbird's divided range meets the criterion of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation) Red List, and is therefore evaluated as near threatened. Despite a general agreement among researchers that this species has a declining population and fragmented range, it is not defined as vulnerable by the IUCN because the range is not considered severely fragmented.<p>While the hummingbird's exact population size is unknown, white-tufted sunbeams have been described as “common but patchily distributed." The suspected cause of population decline is ongoing habitat loss due to deforestation.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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