- Metallura theresiae
Identification
11 cm (4¼ in)
Male
- Straight black bill
- Olive-bronze overall plumage with coppery-red iridescence
Distribution
South America: found only in Peru.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- M. t. parkeri:
- Andes of northern Peru (Cordillera de Colán)
- M. t. theresiae:
- Andes of northern Peru (Amazonas to Huánuco)
An additional subspecies rubriginosa is generally considered invalid[2].
Habitat
Elfin forest with pockets of grassland sphagnum bogs, where they occur in shrubby open glades. Observed at heights around 3,589 m.
Behaviour
Diet
They hover-feed from flowers of Melastomataceae shrubs.
Breeding
The female lays and incubates the two white eggs.
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/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Oct 2017)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Coppery Metaltail. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Coppery_Metaltail
