Lesbia victoriae
The Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae) is an exquisite and distinctive hummingbird of the high Andes, immediately recognizable by the male's extraordinarily long, iridescent black tail, which can be up to 75% of its total body length. Males average around 20-25 cm in total length, with the tail alone contributing 14-17 cm, contrasting with a shimmering green body and dark underparts. Females are smaller, with a significantly shorter tail, typically under 10 cm, and duller green pluma...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude, open scrubland, paramo, and the edges of montane cloud forests. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level in the Andean region.
The primary diet consists of nectar, extracted from a variety of flowering plants, especially those with long corollas. They also supplement their diet with small insects and spiders, which are hawked in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Black-tailed Trainbearers are active diurnal foragers, spending much of their day darting between flowering plants to feed. Males are highly territorial, aggressively defending prime feeding territories and perches from conspecifics and even other hummingbird species, often engaging in fierce aer...
The Black-tailed Trainbearer is a resident species found throughout the Andes mountains of South America, with its range extending from southern Colombia, through Ecuador, and south into central and northern Peru. This high-altitude specialist primarily inhabits the paramo, sub-paramo, and montan...
Least Concern
- The male Black-tailed Trainbearer possesses one of the longest tails relative to its body size among all hummingbirds, often comprising 70-80% of its total length. - Despite its impressive length, the tail is primarily for display and imposes a significant aerodynamic cost, requiring more energ...