Oreotrochilus adela
The Wedge-tailed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus adela) is a striking jewel of the high Andes, renowned for its distinctive, deeply forked, wedge-shaped tail. Males are resplendent with iridescent emerald green upperparts, a shimmering violet-blue gorget bordered in black, and a pristine white breast bisected by a prominent rufous-cinnamon stripe. Measuring approximately 13 cm in length and weighing 7.5-8.5 grams, their unique tail features bronze-green central feathers contrasting dramatically with ...
Found in arid montane scrub, rocky slopes, and canyon bottoms of the high Andes, typically at elevations between 3,500 and 4,500 meters.
Feeds primarily on nectar from high-Andean flowering shrubs (e.g., Caiophora, Puya), supplemented with small insects (flies, gnats, spiders) for protein.
The Wedge-tailed Hillstar is primarily diurnal, though it employs a remarkable strategy of entering torpor at night to survive the freezing Andean temperatures. Foraging involves agile hovering at tubular flowers for nectar, alongside frequent aerial hawking for small insects and gleaning them fr...
The Wedge-tailed Hillstar is endemic to the eastern Andes of Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, with no significant migratory patterns beyond altitudinal movements. In Bolivia, it is found in the departments of Cochabamba, PotosÃ, Chuquisaca, and Tarija. Its range extends south into Argentina, s...
Least Concern
- The Wedge-tailed Hillstar is one of the highest-dwelling hummingbirds, consistently found at elevations exceeding 3,500 meters in the Andes. - To survive frigid Andean nights, it can enter a state of torpor, drastically lowering its metabolic rate and body temperature. - Its common name refers ...