Aglaeactis cupripennis
The Shining Sunbeam, Aglaeactis cupripennis, is a medium-sized hummingbird, typically measuring 12-13 cm (4.7-5.1 inches) in length and weighing 7-8.5 grams (0.25-0.3 oz). Its plumage is predominantly dark, almost bronzy-black on the upperparts, contrasting sharply with its eponymous and spectacular coppery-gold to fiery-orange iridescent patch on the lower back and rump. This brilliant flash of color, visible primarily in sunlight, is its most distinctive field mark, earning it its common na...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude temperate forests, cloud forest edges, and bushy páramo, often found near the treeline. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 meters (6,500-13,000 feet).
The Shining Sunbeam's diet consists primarily of nectar, collected by hovering while feeding from various long-tubed flowers. It supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, typically gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
Shining Sunbeams are highly diurnal and active, spending their days foraging and defending resources. They employ both traplining, systematically visiting a circuit of scattered flowers, and territorial defense, aggressively guarding particularly rich patches of nectar sources from conspecifics a...
The Shining Sunbeam is endemic to the Andes Mountains, with its extensive range stretching from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru, reaching into extreme northern Bolivia. It is considered a resident species throughout its distribution, primarily making altitudinal movements in response to f...
Least Concern
- The spectacular iridescent patch on its lower back and rump can shift in color from coppery-gold to fiery-orange depending on the light angle. - It is one of only four species in the genus Aglaeactis, all known for their striking dorsal iridescence. - Shining Sunbeams are adapted to incredibly ...