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
Cladus: 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: Opisthoprora
Species: Opisthoprora euryptera
Name
Opisthoprora euryptera (Loddiges, 1832)
Type locality: Popayan, Coloombia.
Synonyms
Trochilus eurypterus (protonym)
References
Loddiges, G. 1832. Characters of four New Species of Humming-Birds (Trochilus L.) from Popayan, in the collection of Mr. Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Pt 2 no.15: 6–7 BHL Reference page. p. 7 BHL
Vernacular names
English: Mountain Avocetbill
español: Colibrí picolezna
The mountain avocetbill (Opisthoprora euryptera) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.[3][4]
Taxonomy and systematics
The mountain avocetbill is the only member of its genus and has no subspecies. It is closely related to the hillstars (genus Oreotrochilus) and trainbearers (genus Lesbia).[3] It was originally described in genus Trochilus which at that time included many species that have been reclassified.[5]
Description
The mountain avocetbill is 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long; the few known weights are between 5.8 and 6.6 g (0.20 and 0.23 oz). It has a short bill that turns up slightly at the tip. Adults have bronzy green upperparts with a prominent white spot behind the eye. The tail is notched; the central pair of feathers are bronzy green and the outer ones dark blue with thin whitish tips. The throat and breast are white and the flanks and belly rufous; all have dark green streaks.[5]
Distribution and habitat
The mountain avocetbill is patchily distributed in Colombia's Central Andes, on the east slope of the Andes in Ecuador, and at a few locations on the east slope in northern Peru. It inhabits the interior, edges, and clearings of elfin forest and humid montane forest and is often seen in roadside shrubbery. In elevation it ranges between 2,600 and 3,600 m (8,500 and 11,800 ft) in Colombia, mostly between 2,400 and 3,200 m (7,900 and 10,500 ft) but as low as 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in Ecuador, and between 2,700 and 3,200 m (8,900 and 10,500 ft) in Peru.[5]
Behavior
Movement
The mountain avocetbill is sedentary throughout its range.[5]
Feeding
The mountain avocetbill forages up to 3 m (10 ft) above the ground. It feeds on nectar both while hovering and by clinging to flowers; it sometimes "robs" nectar by piercing the base of a flower. Its diet is not known in detail, but it has been recorded feeding at flowers of the families Ericaceae, Onagraceae, Rubiaceae, Lobeliaceae, and Campanulaceae. It also feeds on small insects caught by sallies from a perch.[5]
Breeding
The mountain avocetbill's breeding phenology has not been described. It is believed to be polygynous like most other hummingbirds.[5]
Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.
Songs and calls
Listen to mountain avocetbill on xeno-canto
Vocalization
The mountain avocetbil's vocalizations are not well known but do include "a series of descending thin whistles, reminiscent of a piculet: wsee wsee wsee wsee."[5]
Status
The IUCN has assessed the mountain avocetbill as being of Least Concern. Though it has a small range, and its population size is not known, the latter is believed to be stable.[1] It is perceived as rare and local to uncommon in different parts of its range. "Human activity has little short-term direct effect on Mountain Avocetbill".[5]
References
BirdLife International (2016). "Mountain Avocetbill Opisthoprora euryptera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22688046A93181519. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688046A93181519.en. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
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
Schulenberg, T. S. (2020). Mountain Avocetbill (Opisthoprora euryptera), 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.mouavo1.01 retrieved February 22, 2022
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