Female, subspecies peruvianus
Photo by Ecuadorrebel
Yanacocha Reserve, north-western Ecuador, July 2010
Photo by Ecuadorrebel
Yanacocha Reserve, north-western Ecuador, July 2010
- Pterophanes cyanopterus
Identification
A very large (15-20 cm., 6-8 in.) hummingbird. Long (30mm) bill with slight upturn.
Male is irridescent green above; blue-green below. Wings blue to purple. Small white post-ocular spot.
Female has browner crown, less intense coloration in general, and rufous breast with speckled green flanks.
Similar Species
This is the largest hummingbird in its habitat (the Giant Hummingbird does not come to such humid areas). Shares slow wing beats with the Giant Hummingbird.
Distribution
South America: found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia between 2000 and 3600m in elevation.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- P.c. cyanopterus:
- East Andes of north-central Colombia
- P.c. caeruleus:
- Central Andes to extreme south-western Andes of Colombia
- P.c. peruvianus:
Habitat
Shrubby borders of high-altitude temperate forests areas.
Behaviour
Action
Fast, direct flight.
Diet
Feeds at flowers either from hover or perch. Is attracted to feeders.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Great Sapphirewing. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Great_Sapphirewing
