Biology
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Very little has been documented about the biology of the golden-bellied starfrontlet, but much can be inferred from what are well known characteristics of the hummingbird family generally. Hummingbirds are solitary animals, only coming together to breed. Mating is polygynous and males attract mates using song, iridescent plumage and dramatic display flights. Females are responsible for all the nest-building, incubation and post-hatching parental care. The clutch size typically consists of two eggs, and incubation usually lasts 16 to 19 days. Female hummingbirds can have two broods per year when conditions permit and will re-nest if a brood is lost (5). The golden-bellied starfrontlet is known to breed between January and July (2).
Hummingbirds feed on nectar and insects, with around 90 % of their diet coming from nectar. In addition to possessing specialised bills adapted to exploiting nectar sources, hummingbirds have also developed a unique flight structure that allows them to hover in front of flowers while feeding and even fly backwards. With the flowers unable to maintain the hummingbirds' weight, these birds would be unable to feed on nectar without this incredible ability to hover (5). Flowers visited by the golden-bellied starfrontlet for nectar include Bomarea, Cavendishia, Fuchsia, Macleania, Mutisia and Palicourea. Insects are also taken from the air, and arthropods gleaned from plant surfaces (2).
Conservation
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There are no conservation measures currently in place for this species.
Description
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The golden-bellied starfrontlet belongs to the hummingbird family, Trochilidae, which is well-recognised for bearing some of the most colourful and glittering plumages, and most unique anatomy, in the bird world. Golden-bellied starfrontlets are no exception, with the male exhibiting shiny dark green upperparts, a golden orange lower back, dark metallic bronze upper tail-coverts and golden-bronze under tail-coverts, fringed with rufous. The crown is black, the throat is a glittering dark emerald green with a bluish-violet iridescent patch, and the abdomen is golden, earning the golden-bellied starfrontlet its common name. Females are similar but with a longer bill, green crown, and rufous chin and throat, with juveniles resembling adult females (3). This species possesses a long, straight, slender bill, well adapted to extracting the nectar that forms the bulk of its diet (2) (5).
Habitat
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Found in cloudforest, dwarf forest and open terrain with scattered vegetation, at 1,400 – 3,200 m altitude (2).
Range
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C. b. consita is distributed patchily across the Sierra de Perija, along the Colombian-Venezuelan border, C. b. bonapartei occurs in the East Andes of central Colombia, and one record of C. b. orina has been found from the Peramo de Fontino, in the northern Central Andes of Colombia (2) (3).
Status
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Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List 2004 (1) and listed under Appendix II of CITES (4). Three subspecies are recognised: C. b. consita, C. b. bonapartei and C. b. orina. However, C. b. orina is often considered a separate species, but is only known from a single specimen and is believed by others to be a subspecies of C. bonapartei, or even simply to represent a melanistic form of the species (2).
Threats
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The global population size of the golden-bellied starfrontlet has not been quantified, but is not believed to reach the criterion for the species to appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which requires it to be below the threshold of 10,000 mature individuals or be declining more than 30 % in ten years or three generations. For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. C. b. bonapartei has a wide distribution, but C. b. consita and C. b. orina are very restricted in range. Much illegal activity and new settlements takes place in the Sierra de Perija Mountains (consita), and numerous roads approaching the region from Colombia imply further interest by people in colonising the area and exploiting its minerals (2). Some parts remain pristine, however, and the species appears to be able to tolerate habitat disturbance by man to some extent (2). Although considered stable generally, the species has nevertheless been described as 'uncommon' in at least parts of its range and remains poorly understood. Thus, detailed studies are required to learn more about this beautiful and colourful bird, its abundance and the threats it may face (6).
Golden-bellied starfrontlet
provided by wikipedia EN
The golden-bellied starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia.[3][4]
Taxonomy and systematics
The golden-bellied 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 International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the Clements taxonomy, and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World recognize the golden-bellied starfrontlet as a monotypic species separate from the Perija starfrontlet (C. consita) and golden-tailed starfrontlet (C. eso).[3][6][4] The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society treats those three as subspecies of the golden-bellied starfrontlet sensu lato but is seeking poposals to elevate all three to species status.[5]
The golden-bellied starfrontlet's specific epithet commemorates Charles Lucien Bonaparte.[7]
Description
The golden-bellied starfrontlet is about 10.9 cm (4.3 in) long including its 3.0 cm (1.2 in) bill. Males weigh an average of 6.6 g (0.23 oz) and females 6.4 g (0.23 oz). Both sexes have a white spot behind the eye. Males have a blackish crown with a glittering green forehead. Their upper back is shining dark green that transitions through greenish copper to the golden orange rump. The throat and breast are glittering green and the throat has a small violet patch. The rest of the underparts are variable, from glittering copper to reddish gold. The slightly forked tail is golden bronzy green. The female's forehead is plain green; the rest of the upperparts are colored like the male's but are duller. The throat is plain buff and has green spots on its sides. The breast is mottled buff and green. The rest of the underparts are mostly cinnamon with a reddish gold belly and a coppery gold vent area. The tail feathers are bronze and sometimes have buff tips.[8]
Distribution and habitat
The golden-bellied starfrontlet is found in the Eastern Andes of Colombia between Boyacá Department and the Metropolitan Area of Bogotá.[8]
The species primarily inhabits the interior and edges of humid montane forest. It also occurs in dwarf forest and more open landscapes with scattered vegetation. In elevation it ranges from 1,400 to 3,200 m (4,600 to 10,500 ft).[8]
Behavior
Movement
The golden-bellied starfrontlet is a year-round resident.[8]
Feeding
The golden-bellied starfrontlet gathers nectar from tubular flowers, usually at low to medium heights. It primarily feeds by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of flowering plants. In addition to feeding on nectar it captures small arthropods by gleaning from foliage, hovering, and by hawking.[8]
Breeding
The golden-bellied starfrontlet's breeding season is not known in detail but appears to span from January to possibly July. Its nest, eggs, incubation length, and time to fledging have not been described.[8]
Vocalization
Few recordings of the golden-bellied starfrontlet are available. Its vocalizations are known to include "a short twitter and a more complex chatter that rises and falls in pitch."[8]
Status
The IUCN has assessed the golden-bellied starfrontlet as being of Least Concern. It has a small range and an unknown population size that is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] "The distribution coincides with areas of new human settlements and areas of interest for minerals exploitation, and it does not occur in any protected areas."[8]
References
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^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Golden-bellied Starfrontlet Coeligena bonapartei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T61172969A95165329. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T61172969A95165329.en. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
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^ a b Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2023). "hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 13.1. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
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^ a b HBW and BirdLife International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip retrieved December 13, 2022
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^ a b 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 30 January 2023. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 30, 2023
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^ Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022
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^ Beolen, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2004). Whose Bird? Common Bird Names and the People They Commemorate. Yale University Press. p. 49. ISBN 0-300-10359-X.
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^ a b c d e f g h Palacios, C. (2020). Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei), 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.gobsta1.01 retrieved 1 February 2023
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Golden-bellied starfrontlet: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The golden-bellied starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia.
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