Metallura theresiae
The Coppery Metaltail (Metallura theresiae) is a captivating small hummingbird, measuring approximately 10.5-11.5 cm (4.1-4.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 4.5-5.5 grams. Its plumage is predominantly a dark, iridescent green, but its namesake feature is the spectacular tail, which shimmers with brilliant coppery-red, orange-red, or golden-bronze hues depending on the light, often tipped with a darker metallic blue or violet. Males boast a glittering emerald-green gorget (throat patch)...
High-altitude cloud forests, humid montane scrub, and elfin forest edges, typically between 2,700 and 3,700 meters (8,900-12,100 feet) in elevation.
Nectar from a variety of flowering plants, especially those with tubular flowers, supplemented by small spiders and insects caught on the wing or gleaned from vegetation.
Coppery Metaltails are highly active and diurnal, spending their days darting between flowering plants. They are primarily solitary foragers, aggressively defending prime nectar sources from rivals with rapid chases and vocalizations. These hummingbirds employ a 'trap-lining' foraging strategy, v...
The Coppery Metaltail is endemic to a highly restricted region of the Andes in northern Peru, primarily concentrated along the eastern slopes within the departments of Cajamarca and Amazonas. It is a resident species, undertaking no significant seasonal migrations, and remains within its high-alt...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *theresiae*, honors Therese von Wüllerstorf-Urba, an Austrian patron of ornithology. - The dazzling coppery color of its tail is not due to pigment but to structural coloration, where microscopic feather structures refract and scatter light. - Like all hummingbirds, it poss...