Metallura theresiae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Superordo: Caprimulgimorphae
Ordo: Apodiformes

Familia: Trochilidae
Subfamilia: Trochilinae
Genus: Metallura
Species: Metallura theresiae
Subspecies: M. t. parkeri – M. t. theresiae

Synonyms: M. t. rubriginosa – included in nominal.

Name

Metallura theresiae Simon, 1902

Type locality: Tayabamba, Dept. of Pataz, Peru.

References

Simon, E.L. 1902. Étude sur les Trochilidés observés au Perou par G. A. Baer (1900-1901). Novitates zoologicae: a journal of zoology in connection with the Tring Museum. 9 no.1: 177–183 BHLReference page. p. 181 BHL

Vernacular names
English: Black Metaltail
español: Colibrí Cobrizo

The coppery metaltail (Metallura theresiae) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Peru.[3][4]
Taxonomy and systematics

The coppery metaltail has two subspecies, the nominate M. t. theresiae and M. t. parkeri.[3]
Description

The coppery metaltail is 10 to 10.5 cm (3.9 to 4.1 in) long and weighs about 5 g (0.18 oz). It has a medium length, straight, black bill. The adult male of the nominate subspecies has reddish bronze to reddish coppery upperparts with a greenish tone to the rump and uppertail coverts. Its slightly forked tail is bronze green with violet reflections on its upper side and shining bronze green on its underside. The sides of its head and neck are reddish bronze and its narrow gorget is glittering golden green. The rest of its underparts are a somewhat less reddish bronze green than the upperparts. The adult female is a duller version of the male and its gorget is smaller. Juveniles do not have gorget. Subspecies M. t. parkeri is similar to the nominate but its uppersides are not as reddish and the underside of its tail is a brighter golden green.[5]
Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of coppery metaltail is found on the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes from east of the Marañón River south into Huánuco Department. M. t. parkeri is known only from the Cordillera de Colán in Peru's Amazonas Department. Like most of the metaltails, the species inhabits the edges of elfin forest and páramo, moist landscapes characterized by shrubby growth and small trees. In elevation it ranges between 2,800 and 3,550 m (9,200 and 12,000 ft).[5]
Behavior
Movement

The coppery metaltail is believed to be resident throughout its range.[5]
Feeding

The coppery metaltail feeds mostly on nectar but details of its diet are lacking. Males defend feeding territories. In addition to nectaring, it catches small arthropods by sallies from a perch.[5]
Breeding

The coppery metaltail's breeding phenology and nest have not been documented. Its breeding season appears to include August and September.[5]

Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.

Songs and calls
Listen to coppery metaltail on xeno-canto
Vocalization

The coppery metaltail's vocalizations have been described as a "series of frail zeee calls, often alternating with ttrrrt notes" and also as "a jerky, wiry chatter similar to [that of] Tyrian Metaltail [Metallura tyrianthina], but perhaps lower, less emphatic, with buzzier notes."[5]
Status

The IUCN has assessed the coppery metaltail as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing.[1] It is deemed fairly common to locally very common. Though human density in its high elevation habitat is low, burning of páramo to create grazing pasture is a threat.[5]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "Coppery Metaltail Metallura theresiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22688002A93179402. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688002A93179402.en. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (January 2022). "IOC World Bird List (v 12.1) - Hummingbirds". 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
Schulenberg, T. S. (2020). Coppery Metaltail (Metallura theresiae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.copmet1.01 retrieved March 5, 2022