// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the white-tailed starfrontlet say? "I'm a star.
| White-tailed starfrontlet | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Coeligena |
| Species: | C. phalerata |
| Binomial name | |
| Coeligena phalerata (Bangs, 1898) | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Leucuria phalerata | |
The white-tailed starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northeastern Colombia.[3][4]
Taxonomy and systematics
[edit]The white-tailed starfrontlet and most other members of genus Coeligena were at one time placed in genus Helianthea but have been in their current placement since the mid-1900s.[5] The species is monotypic.[3]
Description
[edit]The white-tailed starfrontlet is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill, with the female's being somewhat longer than the male's. Both sexes have a white spot behind the eye. Both sexes also have a forked tail, but the male's is more deeply indented than the female's. Adult males have metallic dark green upperparts with a glittering turquoise crown. The entire tail is white, though the feathers when fresh have bronze tips. They have a blue gorget, mostly emerald green underparts, white leg puffs, and white undertail coverts. Adult females have a dusky blue-green crown and shining green upperparts. The tail is bronzy with pale buff tips to the feathers. Its underparts are rufous cinnamon. Immatures are similar to the adult female.[6]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The white-tailed starfrontlet is found only in northeast Colombia's isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It inhabits humid to wet montane forest; males prefer openings within the forest while females are more often seen at the forest edge. In elevation it ranges between 1,400 and 3,700 m (4,590 and 12,140 ft).[6]
Behavior
[edit]Movement
[edit]Nothing is known about the white-tailed starfrontlet's movements, if any.[6]
Feeding
[edit]The white-tailed starfrontlet feeds on nectar. Sources are known to include Fuchsia and bromeliads, though it probably feeds on a wide variety of plants like others of its genus. It is more territorial than other Coeligena but also sometimes feeds by trap-lining. In addition to feeding on nectar it captures small arthropods by gleaning from foliage and by hawking.[6]
Breeding
[edit]The white-tailed starfrontlet's breeding season appears to span from February to April, but nothing else is known about its breeding phenology.[6]
Vocalization
[edit]Only a few white-tailed starfrontlet vocalizations have been recorded. It is known to make "a high-pitched chattering 'tsee-tsee-tsi-tsi-tsirrrrr' and lower-pitched short rattles."[6]
Status
[edit]The IUCN originally assessed the white-tailed starfrontlet as being of Least Concern but since 2018 has rated it as Near Threatened. It has a very small range "where it is under threat of habitat loss and fragmentation". Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 BirdLife International. (2021). "Coeligena phalerata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T22687825A197662095. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22687825A197662095.en. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- 1 2 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.1. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ↑ HBW and BirdLife International (2020) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 5. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB] retrieved 27 May 2021
- ↑ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 January 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 1, 2022
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Züchner, T.; P. F. D. Boesman (2020). J. del Hoyo; A. Elliott; J. Sargatal; D. A. Christie; E. de Juana (eds.). "White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata)". Birds of the World Online. 1.0. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY. doi:10.2173/bow.whtsta1.01. Retrieved 28 April 2022.