- Urosticte benjamini
Identification
8–9 cm (3-3½ in)
A white post-ocular line is prominent in both sexes, and they both have a forked tail.
Male
- Mostly green above
- Green gorget, changing to purple on upper breast.
- Tail is dark bronzy with white tip to two central pairs of feathers.
Female
- Green upperparts
- Strongly spotted with green spots on underparts including on throat
- Tail is bronzy with white tips to outer tail feathers
Similar species
The white on the tail of the male is unmistakable in range. The female is more strongly spotted on underside than female of White-booted Racket-tail which has throat almost pure white.
Distribution
South America found on the Pacific slope of western Colombia to south-western Ecuador and north-western Peru.
Taxonomy
Rufous-vented Whitetip has been split from Purple-bibbed Whitetip.
This is a monotypic species[1] according to our usual authorities, but some authors recognize subspecies rostrata and intermedia[2].
Habitat
Forest and forest edges from 1000 - 2200 m asl.
Behaviour
Diet
Most often searching for food alone, more frequently using low to medium levels of the forest. May be seen at flowering Inga trees and come to feeders at some lodges.
Their diet consists mostly of nectar and insects gleaned or caught in flight.
Breeding
They construct a cup-shaped nest from moss and fern hairs. It is built in shrubs or vines along steep ravines.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Male
Photo by kitefarrago
Tandayapa Lodge, Pichincha, Ecuador, July 2016
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/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Purple-bibbed Whitetip. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 September 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Purple-bibbed_Whitetip
