Thalurania watertonii
The Long-tailed Woodnymph, *Thalurania watertonii*, is a resplendent jewel of the Neotropics, celebrated for its dazzling iridescence and graceful flight. Adult males are particularly striking, boasting a glossy green crown and upperparts that transition to a deep, iridescent violet-blue on the belly and chest, often appearing black in poor light. A distinctive feature is its long, deeply forked, purplish-black tail, which can add significantly to its total length of 9-11 cm (3.5-4.3 inches)....
This species primarily inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests, extending into mature secondary growth and forest edges. It thrives in elevations typically ranging from sea level up to about 800-1000 meters.
Their diet consists predominantly of nectar extracted from a variety of flowering plants, complemented by small insects and spiders captured in flight or gleaned from foliage to provide essential protein.
Long-tailed Woodnymphs are diurnal, actively foraging throughout the day and roosting inconspicuously on slender branches during the night. They exhibit a 'trap-lining' foraging strategy, repeatedly visiting a circuit of scattered flower patches to obtain nectar, while also hawking small insects ...
The Long-tailed Woodnymph is a resident species primarily found in the northeastern Atlantic Forest biome of Brazil, particularly in states like Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Alagoas. Its distribution also extends northward across the Guiana Shield, encompassing French Guiana, Suriname, and Guyana. Th...
Least Concern
- The male's deeply forked tail, often described as 'swallow-like,' can comprise up to a third of its total body length. - Despite their dazzling iridescence, the vibrant colors are structural, not pigmented, meaning they change with the angle of light. - Like all hummingbirds, they have an incre...