Long-billed starthroat

Last updated

Long-billed starthroat
Heliomaster longirostris, Long-billed Starthroat.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Heliomaster
Species:
H. longirostris
Binomial name
Heliomaster longirostris
(Audebert & Vieillot, 1801)
Heliomaster longirostris map.svg
Distribution

The long-billed starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris) is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Trinidad, and all but the four southernmost countries of South America. [3] [4]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

At one time the long-billed starthroat was placed in genus Anthoscenus but since the mid-1900s has had its current placement in Heliomaster. [5] It has three subspecies, the nominate H. l. longirostris, H. l. pallidicepts, and H. l. albicrissa. [3]

Description

The long-billed starthroat is 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) long. Males weigh 5.5 to 7.1 g (0.19 to 0.25 oz) and females about 6.5 g (0.23 oz). Both sexes of all subspecies have a long, almost straight, black bill and a small white spot behind the eye. [6]

Males of the nominate subspecies have a glittering blue to greenish blue crown; the rest of its upperparts are dark bronzy green with the exception of a white stripe down the center of the rump. The face is black below the crown and has a white malar stripe below the black. Its tail is rather short and square-tipped. The feathers are bronzy green near the body and black away from it, and the outer two or three pairs have white tips. The chin is black, the gorget dark metallic purple, the breast gray with bronzy green sides, and the lower breast and belly dull white. The undertail coverts are gray with white edges. Nominate females are very similar but the blue of the crown is much reduced or absent and the gorget is narrower and dusky gray. [6]

Subspecies H. l. pallidicepts has a more greenish blue crown than the nominate and the sides of the breast are golden bronze. H. l. albicrissa is identical to the nominate except that its undertail coverts are mostly to entirely white. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies H. l. pallidicepts of long-billed starthroat is the northernmost; it is found from southern Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador into Nicaragua. The nominate H. l. longirostris is the most widespread. It is found from Costa Rica through Panama, into South America as far south as eastern Peru and eastern Bolivia and east through the Guianas well into Brazil, and on Trinidad. H. l. albicrissa has a restricted range in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. The species inhabits a variety of humid semi-open landscapes including the edges of woodland, isolated woodlands, pastures with trees, gallery forest, and secondary forest. It shuns the interior of closed forest. It is a bird of the lowlands and foothills that ranges in elevation from sea level to about 1,500 m (4,900 ft). [6]

Behavior

Movement

The long-billed starthroat has erratic and poorly understood movements. It seems to move in response to the flowering of different plant communities. [6]

Feeding

The long-billed starthroat feeds on nectar, especially at the flowers of large trees but also those of vines, shrubs, and Heliconia. It forages both by trap-lining (visiting a circuit of flowering plants) and by defending flower-laden trees. It also feeds on small insects, often capturing them on the wing high in the air and sometimes by gleaning from vegetation. [6]

Breeding

The long-billed starthroat breeds from the late wet season into the early dry season in the northern parts of its range. The span in Mexico and Central America is from October/November to February/March. Two broods per season have been observed in Central America. In northern Colombia it nests at least in September/October and March. The timing of breeding is not known in the rest of the species' range. The nest is a shallow cup made of plant down, moss, and liveworts cemented with spider silk and covered with lichen. It is typically placed between 4.5 and 12 m (15 and 39 ft) above the ground in a shrub, on an exposed branch, and even on a telephone wire. The female incubates the two white eggs for 18 to 19 days; fledging occurs 25 to 26 days after hatch. [6]

Vocalization

The long-billed starthroat's calls include "a rich liquid 'tseep' or 'tsew'" and "sqeaky twitters"; the latter is made during chases. [6]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the long-billed starthroat as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range and a population of at least 500,000 mature individuals. The population, however, is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. [1] It is considered uncommon in most of its range but occurs in several protected areas. It is "evidently able to tolerate much disturbance, and perhaps even favoured by deforestation, as long as scattered trees and groves remain." [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-throated mango</span> Species of hummingbird

The black-throated mango is a species in subfamily Polytminae of the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found in Panama, in every mainland South American country except Chile, and in Trinidad and Tobago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-breasted mango</span> Species of hummingbird

The green-breasted mango or Prevost's mango is a species in subfamily Polytminae of the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found from eastern Mexico south through most of Central America, in Colombia and Venezuela, and as a vagrant in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The purple-throated mountaingem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-crowned brilliant</span> Species of hummingbird

The green-crowned brilliant is species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. It is also known as the green-fronted brilliant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plain-capped starthroat</span> Species of hummingbird

The plain-capped starthroat is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from Mexico to Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bumblebee hummingbird</span> Species of bird

The bumblebee hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is endemic to Mexico, but has occurred as a vagrant in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western emerald</span> Species of hummingbird

The western emerald is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-throated starfrontlet</span> Species of hummingbird

The blue-throated starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violet-fronted brilliant</span> Species of hummingbird

The violet-fronted brilliant is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stripe-breasted starthroat</span> Species of hummingbird

The stripe-breasted starthroat is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humboldt's sapphire</span> Species of hummingbird

Humboldt's sapphire or Humboldt's hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain velvetbreast</span> Species of hummingbird

The mountain velvetbreast is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shining-green hummingbird</span>

The shining-green hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearded mountaineer</span> Species of hummingbird

The bearded mountaineer is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean hillstar</span> Species of hummingbird

The Andean hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaly-breasted hummingbird</span>

The scaly-breasted hummingbird or scaly-breasted sabrewing is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-throated crake</span> Species of bird

The white-throated crake is a species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longuemare's sunangel</span> Species of hummingbird

Longuemare's sunangel is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowned woodnymph</span> Species of hummingbird

The crowned woodnymph or violet-crowned woodnymph, is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from Belize and Guatemala to far-northern Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talamanca hummingbird</span> Species of bird

The Talamanca hummingbird or admirable hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2020). "Heliomaster longirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22688138A167013924. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22688138A167013924.en . Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.1. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  4. HBW and BirdLife International (2020) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 5. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB] retrieved 27 May 2021
  5. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 January 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 1, 2022
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Stiles, F.G. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lobsta1.01 retrieved 13 May 2022