Red dwarf shadow hummingbird
| Red dwarf shadow hummingbird | ||||||||||||
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Red dwarf shadow hummingbird |
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| Phaethornis ruber | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The red dwarf shadow hummingbird ( Phaethornis ruber ), also known as the red-bellied hermit or humming bird, is a member of the hummingbird family that is only 9 centimeters tall .
Appearance
The red dwarf shadow hummingbird has red colored plumage on the belly and neck. The upper head area is dark green, the back and tail are colored brown. The upper part of the beak is silver. The lower part of the beak, the underside of the tail and the legs are black. Behind the eye and on the chest it has a noticeable thick, black stripe and in the leg area the plumage is white. The total weight of the birds is only about 2 grams.
Distribution and way of life
In search of his food, especially nectar and insects, he flies through the primeval forests of Guyana , Colombia , Venezuela , Bolivia and Brazil . There he inhabits the undergrowth of the rainforests as well as bushes and trees of the forest edges. This little bird occupies a territory which it vigorously defends against other species. With its rapid flapping of its wings, it creates a humming sound similar to that of bumblebees . The song of the birds, which can be heard from dawn to evening, is described as a loud squeaking sound.
Special anatomy
In contrast to the other hummingbird species, this one has a specially shaped upper arm tendon, like other representatives of its genus.
Reproduction
During the breeding season, several males perform their chants, shrill and loud calls, to the females in a so-called courtship arena. The females then choose their mating partners themselves. The club-shaped nests of the birds are close to the ground, mostly at the end of long palm fronds.
Hazards and protective measures
Although the population has decreased, this species is still relatively common, which is why the IUCN lists this species in the category ( Least Concern ) not endangered.
Subspecies
According to the IOC World Bird list, four subspecies are distinguished, which differ in their coloration, their size and their range:
- Phaethornis ruber episcopus Gould , 1857 is found in central and eastern Venezuela , in Guyana and northwestern Brazil .
- Phaethornis ruber ruber ( Linnaeus , 1758) is present in Suriname and French Guiana via Brazil, southeastern Peru and northern Bolivia .
- Phaethornis ruber nigricinctus Lawrence , 1858 is distributed from eastern Colombia via southwest Venezuela to northern Peru.
- Phaethornis ruber longipennis Berlepsch & Stolzmann , 1902 occurs in the south of Peru.
Etymology and history of research
Carl von Linné originally described the hummingbird under the name Trochilus ruber . The type specimen for the description came from Suriname.
The term “Phaethornis” is derived from the Greek words “phaethōn Φαέθων ” for “the shining one, the shining one” and “órnis, όρνις ” for “bird”. The specific epithet "ruber" is the Latin word for "red". "Episcopus" is also of Latin origin and stands for "bishop", alluding to the much thicker black chest band of this subspecies. “Nigricinctus” also refers to the black band. It is a Latin combination of the words "niger" for "black" and "cinctus, cingere" for "banded, bordered". The word "longipennis" is also of Latin origin and is made up of the words "longus" for "long" and "penna" for "feather". The naming refers to the somewhat longer wings of this subspecies.
literature
- Christopher M. Perrins : The Great Encyclopedia of Birds. Orbis Verlag, 1996, ISBN 3-572-00810-7 , pp. 190, 193.
- Christopher M. Perrins (Ed.): The FSVO encyclopedia birds of the world. Translated from the English by Einhard Bezzel. BLV, Munich / Vienna / Zurich 2004, ISBN 978-3-405-16682-3 , pp. 353-361 (title of the English original edition: The New Encyclopedia Of Birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2003).
- James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
- Carl von Linné: Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, Cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis . tape 1 . Imprensis Direct Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm 1758 ( online [accessed September 26, 2013]).
- John Gould: Descriptions of Three New Species of the Genus Phaëthornis, Family Trochilidae . In: Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London . tape 25 , no. 327 , 1858, pp. 14-15 ( online [accessed September 26, 2013]).
- George Newbold Lawrence: Descriptions of Seven New Species of Humming-Birds . In: Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York . tape 6 , 1858, pp. 258-264 ( online [accessed September 26, 2013]).
- Hans Graf von Berlepsch, Jan Sztolcman: On the Ornithological Researches of M. Jean Kalinowski in Central Peru . In: Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London . tape 2 , 1902, pp. 18–60 ( online [accessed September 26, 2013]).
Web links
- Phaethornis ruber in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2013.1. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
- BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Reddish Hermit ( Phaethornis ruber ) . Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Reddish Hermit (Phaethornis ruber) in the Internet Bird Collection
- Red dwarf shadow hummingbird ( Phaethornis ruber ) at Avibase; Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- Phaethornis ruber in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Retrieved September 26, 2013.
- xeno-canto: sound recordings - Reddish Hermit ( Phaethornis ruber )