Birds with Metal Tails!- Erakina

One of the members of the family Trochilidae, the fire-throated metaltail is a species of hummingbird. It is also known as the fiery-throated metaltail. These uniquely beautiful birds are endemic to Peru specifically to the humid forests in the slopes of Andes Mountains.

Scientific Classification:

KINGDOM : Animalia

PHYLUM : Chordata

CLASS: Aves

ORDER: Apodiformes

FAMILY: Trochilidae

TRIBE: Lesbiini

GENUS: Metallura

SPECIES: Metallura eupogon

These fiery-throated metaltail though, belong to a particular place and are restricted to a confined area, but they are abundant in number. Their abundant population in their native habitat made IUCN list the fiery-throated metaltail under species of Least Concern.

Do You Know?

• The fiery-throated metaltail is about 10.5 centimetres or 4.1 inches in size.
• The male fire-throated metaltail is metallic green on the back, tail and head.
• They have a gorget ( a patch of colour on the throat of a bird)of red colour. The end of their wings are also red- coloured.
• They have a tail which is usually dusky or green coloured.
• The females are also mostly green in colour and they differ from males by the gorget. The females usually have less prominent or absent gorget around their neck.
• The tails of females have whitish tips on the feathers that are outside.
• Both of the sexes of fiery-throated metaltail are notched tails.
• Their bills are generally short, black and straight.
• The diet of Metallura eupogon, like the hummingbird includes, nectar from pollen, which fuels its metabolism.
• Small insects like beetles, mosquitoes and spiders are also included in their diet.
• The literal name of the Genus Mettalura means ‘metal tail’.