Amethyst star hummingbird
| Amethyst star hummingbird | ||||||||||
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Amethyst star hummingbird |
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| Calliphlox amethystina | ||||||||||
| ( Boddaert , 1783) |
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The amethyst star hummingbird or amethyst hummingbird ( Calliphlox amethystina ) is one of the smaller members of the hummingbird family with a body length of 6 to 8 centimeters .
Appearance
The birds have green plumage, which turns brownish towards the tail. The top of the wings is brown, the underside of the wings is black. The tail feathers are green on top, the underside of the tail is black, the base of the tail is brown. There is a thick white stripe on the throat, the beak is silver, the legs are black. The males have a reddish colored throat, while this is white in the female.
Way of life
The birds live solitary most of the year, searching the blossoms of the trees and bushes for nectar and insects to feed on. With their very fast wing beats of up to 80 per second, they generate an insect-like humming noise.
distribution and habitat
This species inhabits the tropical forests, savannas and shrub areas east of the Andes from southern Peru, most of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyanas to northern Argentina.
Reproduction
In the courtship dance, the male performs a pendulum dance in front of the female. The female builds a bowl-shaped nest made of plant fibers and down in a fork of a branch.
Hazards and protective measures
Since this species is widespread, the IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern .
Etymology and history of research
Pieter Boddaert described the amethyst star hummingbird under the name Trochilus amethystinus . It was not until 1831 that Friedrich Boie introduced the genus Calliphlox for several hummingbird species, which was also assigned to the amethyst star hummingbird, albeit under the name Trochilus amethystinus Gmelin, JF 1788. This name is derived from the Greek words "kallos, kalos, καλλος, καλος " for "beauty, beautiful" and "phlox, phlogos, φλοξ, φλογος " for "flame". The specific epithet "amethystina" is derived from the Latin "amethystinus" and means " amethyst-colored ".
Source
- The great encyclopedia of birds. Orbis Verlag, Munich 1996, 197, ISBN 3-572-00810-7 , p. 195.
- James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
- Pieter Boddaert: Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M. D'Aubenton: avec les denominations de MM de Buffon, Brisson, Edwards, Linnaeus et Latham, precedé d'une notice des principaux ouvrages zoologiques enluminés . sine nomine , Utrecht 1783 ( online [accessed February 23, 2015]).
- Friedrich Boie: Comments on species and some ornithological families and clans . In: Isis von Oken . tape 24 , 1831, pp. 538-548 ( online [accessed February 23, 2015]).
Web links
- Calliphlox amethystina inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Amethyst Woodstar ( Calliphlox amethystina ) . Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings about Amethyst Woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina) in the Internet Bird Collection
- Amethyst star hummingbird ( Calliphlox amethystina ) at Avibase; accessed on February 23, 2015.
- Calliphlox amethystina in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
- xeno-canto: Sound recordings - Amethyst Woodstar ( Calliphlox amethystina )
- Amethyst star hummingbird (Calliphlox amethystina) in the Encyclopedia of Life . Retrieved October 27, 2017 (English).