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Scaly-breasted Hummingbird - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Ana Maria
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica, July 2010
Phaeochroa cuvierii

Campylopterus cuvierii

Identification

11·5–13 cm
A rather dull hummingbird with no obvious field marks. Note base of lower mandible is pink, and white tips on the outer rectrices making the underside of the tail appear white on the distal half.
Metallic bronze green upperparts, blue-green tail, very small white postocular, green throat and breast, feathers are tipped buff giving the appearance of scales, buff abdomen, black upper mandible.

Distribution

Central and South America
Central America: found in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
South America: occurs only in Colombia

There is some uncertainty if this species is regular in Mexico.

Photo by Gerald Friesen
Darien Region, Panama, February 2015

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized:[1]:

  • P.c. roberti
  • Atlantic slope of Belize, and Guatemala to Costa Rica (and possible even Mexico)
  • P.c. maculicauda
  • P.c. furvescens
  • Pacific slope of western Panama
  • P.c. saturatior
  • Coiba Island
  • P.c. cuvierii
  • P.c. berlepschi

Habitat

Moist lowlands and foothils including forest, mangroves, scattered tall trees (especially if blooming) and coffee plantations.

Behaviour

Photo by Ana Maria
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica, July 2010

Diet

The diet includes nectar and insects caught in flight.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Ridgely & Gwynne 1989. Birds of Panama. Princeton Paperbacks. ISBN 0691025126
  3. Howell & Webb, 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198540124

Recommended Citation

External Links

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