Diamantina Sabrewing

Large, dark hummingbird. Common in tepui highlands. Male is mostly shining green, especially on the throat, breast, and forehead; female is white below with extensive green spotting. Both sexes have conspicuous white spot behind eye. Occurs in a wide variety of habitats including tall forest, edge, and open scrub at middle and high elevations (above 800 m) in tepui region. Feeds on nectar and defends patches of flowers from other hummingbirds. Gives loud, sharp chip note while foraging. No other large, green hummingbird occurs in its limited range.

Medium-sized green woodpecker with delicate scale-like patterning on the underparts. Sexes differ primarily in crown color; male’s is red, female’s is black. Very similar in appearance to Streak-throated and Laced Woodpeckers; note this species’ combination of unpatterned yellow throat, patchy-looking “mustache” stripe, and well-marked breast. Habitat preferences also differ; Streak-breasted favors lowland evergreen broadleaf forests, as well as coastal scrub forest and mangroves. Like other similar “Asian green woodpeckers”, frequently forages close to, or on, the ground. Gives a harsh, resonant “tchik, tchik”, often in series, as well as an explosive rattling.

The male is a beautiful and unmistakable sunbird with a pale yellow throat, an iridescent green cap and chin, a black breast band, and a chestnut belly. The color of the upperparts varies geographically, being chestnut-brown in the west and blackish-brown in the east. Females have a faint pale eyebrow and heavy streaking below. Found in lowland rainforest, gallery forest, plantations, and gardens. Female similar to female Johanna’s Sunbird, but has a shorter bill. One characteristic call is a loud “chee-uu.” The song consists of series of squeaky whistles in a simple pattern.