Green-backed hillstar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Joseph C Boone (talk | contribs) at 20:24, 2 May 2020 (added description and photo). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Green-backed hillstar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Urochroa
Gould, 1856
Species:
U. leucura
Binomial name
Urochroa leucura
Lawrence, 1864

The green-backed hillstar (Urochroa leucura) formerly known as White-tailed hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae, and one of two species in the genus Urochroa. It is found in humid montane forests on the east Andean slope of southern Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru.

Description

juvenile showing thin rufous malar

This species is about 15 cm long, including its 3cm long straight, black bill. It is shiny green above with a coppery rump and upper tail coverts. Young birds have a thin rufous malar. The throat and breast are glittering blue and the belly is gray. Its shoulder is green, but the rest of the wing is blackish. The outer tail feathers are white with blackish tips and edges. Although members of the genus Urochroa share the name hillstar with members of the genus Oreotrochilus, they are not closely related.

References