| Rainbow starfrontlet | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Coeligena |
| Species: | C. iris |
| Binomial name | |
| Coeligena iris (Gould, 1853) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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The rainbow starfrontlet (Coeligena iris) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru. [3] [4]
The rainbow starfrontlet has these six subspecies: [3]
Early in the 20th century, subspecies C. i. hesperus, C. i. aurora, C. i. eva were considered to be separate species. [5] "Striking differences between subspecies suggest that several are very close to species status...further gathering and analysis of evidence is needed, however, in order to produce coherent revision of species limits in this complex." [6]
The rainbow starfrontlet is 12.5 to 14 cm (4.9 to 5.5 in) long. Males weigh 6.7 to 8.8 g (0.24 to 0.31 oz) and females 6 to 8.1 g (0.21 to 0.29 oz). Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill, with the female's being somewhat longer than the male's. Both sexes have a white spot behind the eye. Both sexes also have a forked tail, but the male's is more deeply indented than the female's. The subspecies differ significantly in their plumage. [6]
Males of the nominate subspecies have a glittering yellow-green forecrown that transitions through golden yellow to blue on the crown. Their upperparts are mostly blackish with a green sheen and are chestnut on the lower back and rump. The throat and chest are glittering emerald green and the throat has a small violet spot. The belly, undertail coverts, and tail are chestnut. Nominate females are generally similar to the males but with less of a metallic sheen, and juveniles are similar to adult females. [6]
Males of subspecies C. i. hesperus have a dark golden-red crown with a blue stripe, a golden green back, green underparts with a violet throat spot, and bronzy tips on the chestnut tail feathers. Females are a duller version of the male. Males of C. i. aurora have a turquoise crown with golden tips to the feathers, a black hindneck, and light chestnut upperparts. Their chin and throat are turquoise and the rest of the underparts light chestnut. Females are again a duller version of the male. C. i. flagrans is similar to the nominate but with a coppery hindneck and back. C. i. fulgidiceps is also similar to the nominate but with a blackish neck and upper back and darker chestnut on the underparts. Males of C. i. eva have a yellowish green forecrown, a dark violet crown, and a coppery hindneck and back. Their chin, throat, and breast are emerald green and the rest of the underparts chestnut. They do not have the violet throat patch of the other subspecies. The female has a coppery green head and lighter underparts than the male. [6]
The six subspecies of rainbow starfrontlet are found thus: [3] [6]
The rainbow starfrontlet inhabits the edges of both humid and semi-humid cloudforest, gardens, and riparian scrub. In elevation it generally ranges from 1,700 to 3,300 m (5,600 to 10,800 ft) but has been recorded as high as 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in northern Peru's Huascarán National Park. [6]
The rainbow starfrontlet is presumed to be sedentary. [6]
The rainbow starfrontlet forages for nectar by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of a wide variety of flowering plants, most of which have tubular red flowers. Examples include those of genera Embothrium, Fuchsia, Iochroma, Mutisia, Salvia, and Tilandsia. It usually forages within 2 to 4 m (7 to 10 ft) of the ground. In addition to feeding on nectar it captures small arthropods by hawking. [6]
The rainbow starfrontlet's breeding season lasts from November into January. The female builds a cup nest of small twigs, moss, and lichens lined with soft plant fibers. It is typically placed in the fork of a small branch. No further details of its breeding phenology have been documented. [6]
During aerial chases, the rainbow starfrontlet makes a "thin, wiry chatter, rising and falling, with rattles and squeaky notes". It also makes "tsit" or "tip" notes. [6]
The IUCN originally assessed the rainbow starfrontlet as Near Threatened but since 2004 has rated it as being of Least Concern. It has a large range. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. [1] Its natural habitat is heavily fragmented but the effects of deforestation may be somewhat mitigated by the species' acceptance of human-made landscapes such as gardens and parks. [6]
Carola's parotia, also known as Queen Carola's six-wired bird-of-paradise or Queen Carola's parotia, is a species of bird-of-paradise.
The collared inca is a species of hummingbird found in humid Andean forests from western Venezuela through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru. It is very distinctive in having a white chest-patch and white on the tail. Like other hummingbirds it takes energy from flower nectar, while the plant benefits from the symbiotic relationship by being pollinated. Its protein source is small arthropods such as insects. It is normally solitary and can be found at varying heights above the ground, often in the open.
The iris lorikeet is a small, up to 20 cm long, green lorikeet bird. The male has a red forehead, yellow nape, purple band back from eye between nape and cheek, and yellowish below. The female almost similar with red-marked green forecrown and yellowish green cheek.
The golden-bellied starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia.
Coeligena is a genus of South American hummingbirds.
The bronzy inca is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The blue-throated starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
The buff-winged starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The dusky starfrontlet, also known as glittering starfrontlet, is an Endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to a few small areas in western Colombia.
The white-tailed starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northeastern Colombia.
The violet-throated starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia and Peru and possibly Ecuador.
The sapphire-vented puffleg is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and possibly Venezuela.
The amethyst-throated sunangel is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
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.
The Tyrian metaltail is a species of hummingbird in the subfamily Lesbiinae, the brilliants and coquettes. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The rufous-headed woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
The black-necked woodpecker or black-necked flicker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is endemic to Peru.
The yellow-throated woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
The golden-tailed starfrontlet is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Venezuela. It is also called the Merida starfrontlet and golden starfrontlet.
The Perija starfrontlet is an Endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
