Blue-throated nymph

Blue-throated nymph
	Blue-throated nymph
Systematics
Class :	Birds (aves)
Order :	Sailor birds (Apodiformes)
Family :	Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Genre :	Mountain Jewels ( Lampornis )
Type :	Blue-throated nymph
Scientific name
	Lampornis clemenciae
	( Lesson, RP , 1830)

The blue- throated nymph ( Lampornis clemenciae ) is a species of bird in the hummingbird family (Trochilidae). The species has a wide range in Mexico and the United States . The IUCN assesses the population as Least Concern .

features

The blue-throated nymph reaches a body length of about 12 to 13.5 centimeters, with the males weighing about 8 grams and females about 6 grams. The male has a white line behind the eyes, which is in stark contrast to the green skull, dark cheeks and the glittering blue throat, which is usually lined with a white beard. The neck and top are green. The upper tail-coverts are blackish. The underside is dirty gray and streaked with green on the side and chest. The under tail coverts are lined with white. The tail is blue-black with broad white spots on the outer tail feathers . The color of the female is similar, but it has a dark green throat.

behavior

The blue-throated nymph feeds on the nectar of plants such as lobelia , tobacco , beard thread or sage .

Breeding behavior

It builds its nest on thin twigs, which are usually located on overhangs in wetlands or on rocks. She builds them from March to July in northwest Mexico and from July to September in Oaxaca .

distribution and habitat

Distribution area (green) of the blue-throated nymph

The blue-throated nymph prefers pine and oak forests, as well as their edges or clearings with flowers. When looking for food, it moves in the lower and middle strata . In the rest phases she can also sit in the upper strata and sing. They are often seen on the banks of large streams. It occurs at altitudes between 1800 and 3000 meters.

Vocalizations

Their call sounds like a high- pitched squeaky tsii , which they often utter in flight. Sitting on the branches it sounds stronger like chuk or sik, siik .

Subspecies

So far, three subspecies are known:

Lampornis clemenciae phasmorus ( Oberholser , 1974) is common in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park .
Lampornis clemenciae bessophilus ( Oberholser , 1918) occurs in the southwest of the USA, as well as in northwest Mexico.
Lampornis clemenciae clemenciae ( Lesson, RP , 1830) is distributed in the southern USA and over northeast, central and southern Mexico.

Etymology and history of research

René Primevère Lesson described the blue-throated nymph under the name Ornismya Clemenciae . The type specimen came from Mexico and was in the collection of François Victor Masséna . In 1827 William Swainson introduced the genus Lampornis for the red-throated nymph , to which the blue- throated nymph was later assigned.

The name »Lampornis« is derived from the Greek words »lampás« λαμπάς for »torch, lamp« and »ornis« όρνις for »bird«. The specific epithet »clemenciae« is Marie Clémence Lesson (1800–1834), b. Dumont de Sainte-Croix, dedicated to Lesson's second wife. Bessophilus is a Greek word composed of "bēssa βησσα " for "forest ravine " and "philos, phileō φιλος, φιλεω " for "loving, loving". Phasmorus is derived from the Greek word "phasma, phasmatos φασμα, φασματος " for "phantom, ghost, appearance".

literature

Steven NG Howell, Sophie W. Webb: A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America . Oxford University Press, New York 1995, ISBN 978-0-19-854012-0 .
James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
René Primevère Lesson : Histoire naturelle des oiseaux-mouches, ouvrage orné de planches desinées et gravée par les meilleurs artistes et dédié A SAR Mademoiselle 81 plates (Prêtre, Antoine Germaine Bévalet, Marie Clémence Lesson based on Louis Vieillot's Charles Vieillot, Antoine William Pierre William Vieillot , Pancrace Bessa , Elisa Zoé Dumont de Sainte Croix) . Arthus-Bertrand, Paris 1830 ( gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de ).
Harry Church Oberholser : Description of a New Subspecies of Cyanolaemus Clemenciae . In: The Condor . tape 20 , no. 5 , 1918, pp. 181–182 ( sora.unm.edu [PDF; 154 kB ]).
Harry Church Oberholser: The bird life of Texas . tape 1 . University of Texas Pres, Austin, Texas 1974, ISBN 978-0-292-70711-5 ( books.google.de ).
William Swainson: A Synopsis of the Birds discovered in Mexico by W. Bullock, FLS and HS, and Mr. William Bullock, jun. In: The Philosophical magazine: or Annals of chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, natural history and general science . tape 1 , no. 6 , 1827, pp. 433-442 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
Helmuth Otto Wagner: Contribution to the biology of the blue-throated hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae Lesson . In: Publications from the Museum für Naturkunde Bremen (= A ). tape 2 , no. 5 , 1951, pp. 5-44 .