Venezuelan Sylph
Encyclopedia
The Venezuelan Sylph is a small bird
in the hummingbird
family, Trochilidae. It is restricted to a small area of north-eastern Venezuela
and is classed as an endangered species
by BirdLife International
. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies
of the Long-tailed Sylph
(A. kingi).
The male is 22 centimetres in length with the elongated outer tail-feathers accounting for 14-15 centimetres. Its plumage
is mostly iridescent green. The throat is blue and the outer tail-feathers are violet, becoming blue towards the tips. The female is 9.5-11 centimetres long. The tail is shorter than that of the male but still fairly long and slightly forked. Females have a blue crown and white throat, breast and belly.
The Long-tailed Sylph is similar in appearance but does not overlap in range. Males of the subspecies caudatus have a mostly blue tail and no blue throat patch while males of the subspecies margarethae have green tips to the tail-feathers. Females have a rufous breast and belly.
The Venezuelan Sylph occurs in Sucre
, Monagas
and Anzoátegui
states. It is found in the Cordillera de Caripe and Cerro Negro and there are unconfirmed reports from the Paria Peninsula
. It inhabits forest
and scrubland on coastal mountain slopes from 1,450 to 1,800 metres above sea-level. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
family, Trochilidae. It is restricted to a small area of north-eastern Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and is classed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Long-tailed Sylph
Long-tailed Sylph
The Long-tailed Sylph is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.Courtship strategy...
(A. kingi).
The male is 22 centimetres in length with the elongated outer tail-feathers accounting for 14-15 centimetres. Its plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is mostly iridescent green. The throat is blue and the outer tail-feathers are violet, becoming blue towards the tips. The female is 9.5-11 centimetres long. The tail is shorter than that of the male but still fairly long and slightly forked. Females have a blue crown and white throat, breast and belly.
The Long-tailed Sylph is similar in appearance but does not overlap in range. Males of the subspecies caudatus have a mostly blue tail and no blue throat patch while males of the subspecies margarethae have green tips to the tail-feathers. Females have a rufous breast and belly.
The Venezuelan Sylph occurs in Sucre
Sucre (state)
Sucre State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Cumaná. Sucre State covers a total surface area of 11,800 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 916,600.-Municipalities and municipal seats:...
, Monagas
Monagas
Monagas State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela.Monagas State covers a total surface area of 28,900 km² and, in June 30, 2010, had an estimated population of 908,626....
and Anzoátegui
Anzoátegui
Anzoátegui State , is one of the 23 component states of Venezuela, located in the northeastern region of the country. Anzoátegui is well known for its beautiful beaches that attract many visitors. Its coast consists of a single beach approximately 100 km long...
states. It is found in the Cordillera de Caripe and Cerro Negro and there are unconfirmed reports from the Paria Peninsula
Paria Peninsula
Paria Peninsula is a large peninsula in Sucre State, northern Venezuela. It separates the Gulf of Paria and Caribbean Sea. Península de Paria National Park is located on the peninsula...
. It inhabits forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and scrubland on coastal mountain slopes from 1,450 to 1,800 metres above sea-level. It is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat.