Campylopterus calcirupicola
The Outcrop Sabrewing, *Campylopterus calcirupicola*, is a vibrantly unique hummingbird endemic to the campos rupestres and ironstone outcrops of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Measuring approximately 12-13.5 cm in length and weighing around 8-9 grams, the male boasts a brilliant iridescent violet-blue gorget that extends to the upper breast, contrasting sharply with its shimmering green upperparts and flanks. A distinct white postocular spot stands out against its dark head, and its slightly decurved...
Exclusively inhabits rupestrian grasslands, ironstone outcrops (canga), and surrounding dry secondary forests (campos rupestres) at elevations between 800-1,500 meters.
Feeds primarily on nectar from a variety of local flowering plants, supplemented by small arthropods caught in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Like most hummingbirds, the Outcrop Sabrewing is diurnal, active from dawn to dusk, primarily focusing on foraging to sustain its high metabolic rate. It employs a trap-lining foraging strategy, repeatedly visiting a circuit of flower patches within its territory, although males also aggressively...
The Outcrop Sabrewing is strictly endemic to the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, where it is a resident species, not known to migrate. Its distribution is highly restricted to specific pockets of the Espinhaço Mountain Range and associated ironstone plateaus, particularly within the...
Near Threatened
- The Outcrop Sabrewing was only formally described in 2017, making it one of the most recently discovered hummingbird species. - Its scientific name, *calcirupicola*, literally means 'dweller of limestone rocks,' though it's more specifically adapted to ironstone outcrops ('canga'). - This speci...