Band-tailed Barbthroat

Appearance

The band-tailed barbthroat is 10 to 11 cm long. Males weigh 5.5 to 7 g and females 5 to 7 g.The adult male of the nominate subspecies has bronze-green upperparts, a dark ear patch and chin, and a dusky malar stripe. The tail is dark with white bases and tips to the feathers that create a black band near the end. The throat is ochraceous and the underparts are otherwise gray with some green feathers. It has a nearly straight bill. As with other hermit hummingbirds, the sexes are similar; the female's bill is somewhat more decurved than the male's and the plumage has less contrast among the throat, breast, and belly. Young birds resemble the adult but have ochraceous feather edges. "T. r. venezuelensis" has a somewhat larger ochraceous throat patch than the nominate. "T. r. ventosus" has a much larger and bright orange throat patch and an ochraceous tinge to the belly.

Distribution

"T. r. ventosus" is the northernmost subspecies of band-tailed barbthroat. It is found from eastern Guatemala and Belize through Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica into Panama. The nominate "T. r. ruckeri" is found from northern and western Colombia south through western Ecuador almost to Peru. "T. r. venezuelensis" is found in northwestern Venezuela. The species inhabits the understory and edges of primary forest and old second growth, and also semi-open shrublands, thickets, and plantations. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,200 m.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the band-tailed barbthroat as being of Least Concern, although its population has not been enumerated and its trend is not known. It appears to be generally common and occurs is several protected areas.

Habitat

"T. r. ventosus" is the northernmost subspecies of band-tailed barbthroat. It is found from eastern Guatemala and Belize through Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica into Panama. The nominate "T. r. ruckeri" is found from northern and western Colombia south through western Ecuador almost to Peru. "T. r. venezuelensis" is found in northwestern Venezuela. The species inhabits the understory and edges of primary forest and old second growth, and also semi-open shrublands, thickets, and plantations. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,200 m.

Reproduction

The band-tailed barbthroat's nesting season varies widely across its range. Its nest is a cup of plant and other fibers and cobweb attached to the underside tip of a long drooping leaf. The female alone incubates the two white eggs, though males have been observed remaining in the nest's vicinity.

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="background-color:#f6f6f6"
|- style="vertical-align:middle;"
| style="line-height:50px;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center;" |

| style="vertical-align:middle;line-height:2;" |
Songs and calls

|}

Food

Like other hermit hummingbirds, the band-tailed barbthroat is a "trap-line" feeder, visiting a circuit of flowering plants. It feeds on nectar at "Heliconia" and other tubular flowers and also on small arthropods, especially spiders. In addition to probing flowers for nectar, it also "robs" by piercing the base of the tube.