Spark throated hummingbird
| Spark throated hummingbird | ||||||||||
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Spark throated hummingbird |
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| Heliomaster constantii | ||||||||||
| ( Delattre , 1843) |
The funk-throated hummingbird ( Heliomaster constantii ), sometimes also called the funkenkehlchen , is a species of bird from the hummingbird family (Trochilidae). The species has a range that covers about 530,000 square kilometers in the Central American countries Costa Rica , Guatemala , Honduras , Mexico , El Salvador and Nicaragua as well as the USA . The IUCN assesses the population as Least Concern .
features
The sparkling hummingbird reaches a body length of about 11.5 to 13 centimeters. The straight or sometimes slightly curved beak is between 31 and 37 millimeters long. This makes it longer than the rest of the head. The tail reaches a length between 27 and 34 millimeters. The collar that extends to the chin is soot-gray. In the lower third, the colors change into a dark cherry or copper red. The upper part is inconspicuous green to olive-bronze. There are elongated white and black spots on it. The lower part is mouse gray with matt bronze speckles. You can only see the white tufts flanking during the flight. The wings are relatively large in proportion to the tail. Males and females show no clear differences.
behavior
The flight of the sparkling hummingbird is skillful and is described as elegant. The slow beats of the wings turn into gliding. The hummingbird prefers to sit on high branches. The sparkling hummingbird hunts insects, especially in the morning hours. The hummingbird can only be seen irregularly at nectar springs, especially yam beans and agaves . The bird is relatively peaceful and does not defend its nectar deposits. It builds its nest as a calyx out of soft plants and cobwebs. He camouflages the outside with lichen and plant deposits. He prefers to build his nest in the treetops. The breeding season extends from January to June.
Habitat
The spark-throated hummingbird is found in desert bushes, tropical deciduous rainforests and near river banks. The bird migrates through different habitats, especially after breeding. It preferably moves at altitudes around 800 to 1000 meters above sea level. He likes to go to Ceiba , woolen trees , tabebuia and other trees. Occasionally you can also see it on heliconia near the ground .
Subspecies
So far, three subspecies are known:
- Heliomaster constantii constantii ( Delattre , 1843)
- H. c. leocadiae ( Bourcier & Mulsant , 1852)
- H. c. pinicola Gould , 1853
The subspecies H. c. surdus ( van Rossem , 1934) is usually considered an invalid taxon .
The subspecies pinicola is found in northwestern Mexico. The distribution area extends south to the state of Jalisco . The subspecies leocadiae is native to western & southwestern Mexico and western Guatemala. From El Salvador to southern Costa Rica one encounters the ssp. constantii .
Etymology and history of research
The first description of the funk-throated hummingbird was in 1843 by Adolphe Delattre under the scientific name Ornismya Constantii . The type specimen came from Guatemala. It was in 1850 Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte who introduced the new genus Heliomaster , to which the spark-throated hummingbird was only added later. This Greek word structure is made up of the words “hēlios μεταλλον ” for “sun” and “mastēr μαστερ ” for “seeker”. The species name is dedicated to Charles Contant (1820–1905), a French collector and taxidermist. »Pinicola« is a Latin word formation from the words »pinus« for »pine« and »-cola, colere« for »residents, live, house«.
literature
- Sheri L. Williamson, Roger Tory Peterson: A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America . Houghton Mifflin, 2002, page 158 ff., ISBN 978-0618024957
- F. Gary Stiles, Dana Gardner, Alexander F. Skutch: A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica . Comstock Publishing Associates, 1990, pp. 228ff., ISBN 978-0801496004
- Adolphe Delattre : Oiseaux-Mouches nouveaux au peu connus, découverts au Guatimala . In: L'Echo Du Monde Savant (= 2 ). tape 7 , no. 45 , 1843, pp. 1068-1070 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
- Jules Bourcier, Étienne Mulsant: Description of quelques nouvelles espèces d'oiseaux-mouches . In: Annales des sciences physiques et naturelles, d'agriculture et d'industrie (= 2 ). tape 4 , 1852, p. 139-144 ( gallica.bnf.fr ).
- John Gould: A monograph of the Trochilidæ, or family of humming-birds . tape 4 , delivery 5. Taylor and Francis, London 1853 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
- James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
- Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte: Conspectus generum avium . tape 1 . EJ Brill, Leiden 1850 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
Web links
- Heliomaster constantii inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011.2. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Plain-capped Starthroat ( Heliomaster constantii ) . Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Plain-capped Starthroat (Heliomaster constantii) in the Internet Bird Collection
- Spark throated hummingbird ( Heliomaster constantii ) at Avibase; Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- Heliomaster constantii in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- xeno-canto: Sound recordings - Plain-capped Starthroat ( Heliomaster-constantii )
Individual evidence
Remarks
- ↑ Bonaparte arranged the genus following species: Blaubart Kolibri ( Heliomaster furcifer ( Shaw , 1812)) (Syn: Ornismya Angelae ), the Rose-throated Hummingbird ( Heliomaster longirostris ( Audebert & Vieillot , 1801)), the violet-throated Hummingbird ( Heliomaster squamosus ( Temminck , 1823) ) (Syn: Trochilus mesoleucus ), the ruby hummingbird ( Clytolaema rubricauda ( Boddaert , 1783)) (Syn: Trochilus rubineus ) and the brown-bellied brilliant hummingbird ( Heliodoxa rubinoides ( Bourcier & Mulsant , 1846)).