Green thorntail

Green thorntail
male, Milpe Bird Sanctuary, NW Ecuador
female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Apodiformes
Family:Trochilidae
Genus:Discosura
Species: D. conversii
Binomial name
Discosura conversii
(Bourcier & Mulsant, 1846)
Synonyms

Popelairia conversii

male

The green thorntail (Discosura conversii) is a small hummingbird that is a resident breeder from Costa Rica to western Ecuador. It occurs at middle elevations from 700–1,400 m (2,300–4,600 ft) but may descend lower early in the wet season. In Costa Rica and Panama it is confined to the Caribbean slopes.

This is a forest canopy species. The nest is undescribed, but a published image shows a female constructing a nest on a thin branch, so it is presumably similar to other cup nests built by species such as the green-breasted mango. All hummingbirds lay two white eggs incubated by the female alone.

Green thorntail has mainly green upperparts, a white rump band and a blackish lower rump and tail. It weighs just 3 g (0.11 oz). The 10 cm (3.9 in) long male has the long wire-like tail that gives this species its name and green underparts. The 7.5 cm (3.0 in) long female lacks the long tail and has blackish underparts with a green breast band. She has conspicuous white moustaches.

The green thorntail is usually silent, but may give a quiet chip. These birds visit small flowers including those of epiphytes and shrubs, and also take tiny flies and wasps. Breeding males perch on open branches and may give a dive display.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Discosura conversii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  • Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 978-0-8014-9600-4
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