Birds of Peru

    APODIFORMES: Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)  
Genus: Metallura (6 species, 9 worldwide)

Genus Metallura, Metaltails, are small hummingbirds with short straight bills. Tail colors vary widely between species and subspecies, making identification sometimes tricky.


Scaled Metaltail
Scaled Metaltail (Metallura aeneocauda) Female
Manu, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bruno Conjeaud   © All Rights Reserved.

The Scaled Metailtail overlaps with the Tyrian Metaltail where the Tyrian has a blue tail (although that blue tail may appear red). The Scaled has a 'bronzy-green' tail (Birds of Peru) and is 25% larger at 13 cm.

Fiery-throated Metaltail
Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon) ENDEMIC
Carretera Satipo, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Neblina Metaltail
Neblina Metaltail (Metallura odomae) Male
Peru  
   
Photograph by Peter Hawrylyshyn   © All Rights Reserved.

Neblina Metaltail
Neblina Metaltail (Metallura odomae) Female
Peru  
   
Photograph by Peter Hawrylyshyn   © All Rights Reserved.


Black Metaltail
Black Metaltail (Metallura phoebe) Female ENDEMIC
Rio Chonta, Cajamarca, Peru
  The male has a green gorget and bronzy metal tail.
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


Coppery Metaltail
Coppery Metaltail (Metallura theresiae) Male ENDEMIC
Unchog, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.

Coppery Metaltail
Coppery Metaltail (Metallura theresiae) Female ENDEMIC
Barros Negro, Peru  
   
Photograph by Peter Hawrylyshyn   © All Rights Reserved.


Tyrian Metaltail
Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina smaragdinicollis)
Wayqecha, Peru
  A photo of southern Peru blue-tailed race with red tail with just some touches of blue.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Tyrian Metaltail
Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina quitensis) Male
Guango Lodge, Ecuador
  Note red back of tail distinctive for this species.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Tyrian Metaltail
Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina tyrianthina) Female
Manizales, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A small hummingbird with a short bill. The Tyrian Metaltail has a coppery-red tail in most of its range, but in south Peru and Boliva has a blue tail.
Alt. photo


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