Metallura aeneocauda
The Scaled Metaltail, *Metallura aeneocauda*, is a diminutive and dazzling hummingbird native to the high Andes of South America, measuring a mere 8-9 cm (3.1-3.5 inches) in length and weighing just 3.5-5 grams. Its most striking feature, and the origin of its name, is its iridescent coppery-red to bronze-green tail, which appears intricately scaled due to the unique structure of its feathers, shimmering with every turn. The body plumage is primarily a dark, iridescent green, contrasting with...
This high-altitude specialist primarily inhabits humid montane cloud forests, elfin forests, and the shrubby edges of paramo, typically found between 2,500 and 4,000 meters (8,200-13,100 feet) above sea level.
Primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, favoring those with tube-shaped flowers, supplemented significantly by small insects and spiders caught by hawking or gleaning.
Scaled Metaltails are highly active and diurnal, spending their days in constant motion, flitting between flowers and perches. Their primary foraging strategy involves traplining, where they visit a regular circuit of flowering plants for nectar, hovering expertly in front of blossoms; they also ...
The Scaled Metaltail is a resident species found exclusively in the high Andean cloud forests of southeastern Peru and western Bolivia. Its distribution in Peru extends through the departments of Cusco and Puno, while in Bolivia, it is found across La Paz, Cochabamba, and to a lesser extent, Sant...
Least Concern
- The 'scaled' appearance of its tail is not from actual scales, but from the unique microscopic structure of its iridescent feathers. - This tiny bird can beat its wings an astounding 50-80 times per second, creating the characteristic hummingbird 'hum'. - To survive the cold nights in its high-...