- Oreotrochilus adela
Identification
11–13 cm (4¼-5 in)
- Black, slightly decurved bill
- Grey-brown upperparts, faintly bronzed
- Glittering vivid green gorget
- Chestnut underparts with black central area
- Blue-black tail with cinnamon inner webs of all except central feathers
Females have a white throat with greyish and green spots and pale rufous underparts. Juveniles resemble females.
Distribution
Andes of Bolivia and adjacent Argentina.
A rather uncommon restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Moist montanes and high-altitude shrubland, often in gullies. Altiplano, desert habitat with scattered xerophytic shrubs and cacti.
Occurs from 2600 to 4000 m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on nectar, takes also some insects.
Recorded feeding on flowers of Barnadesia, Mutisia, Loranthaceae mistletoes, Puya and columnar cacti.
Breeding
Breeding recorded from mid-September to February and in June. The nest is a large cup glued to a rocky surface. No other information.
Movements
Not well understood, probably some local movements.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2016)
- Birdforum Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Wedge-tailed Hillstar. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Wedge-tailed_Hillstar
