Aglaiocercus kingii

(Lesson, 1832)

Vernacular names
English : Long-tailed sylph
French : Sylphe à queue d’azur

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Apodiformes
Family : Trochilidae
Notes : 6 subspecies known

Identification
Adults males can reach a length of 19 cm (including 12 cm long tail) for a weight of 7 g. Males are shiny iridescent green with black wings and very long iridescent blue-violet tail. Females have whitish throat and brown belly.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Andes, from north Venezuela and Colombia to south Peru and central Bolivia. Lives in scrubland, forest clearings, gardens and forest edges, up to 3000 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species remains locally common to abundant. In Colombia, declines have been noted where cattle grazing has caused food-plants to disappear.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Dallas World Aquarium (USA)

 

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