Oreotrochilus
Encyclopedia
The hillstars are several species of hummingbird
s from the genus Oreotrochilus (the single species from the genus Urochroa is also called hillstar). These highly territorial
hummingbirds are found in temperate and alpine
grassland, scrub and woodland at altitudes of 1200 to 5200 m (3,937 to 17,060.4 ft) in the Andes
of South America
, with the various species having largely allopatric distributions.
or cinnamon underparts, and a dark tail with a contrasting white pattern.
of the Andean Hillstar. Formerly, the Ecuadorian and White-sided Hillstars were also treated as subspecies of the Andean Hillstar.
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s from the genus Oreotrochilus (the single species from the genus Urochroa is also called hillstar). These highly territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
hummingbirds are found in temperate and alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
grassland, scrub and woodland at altitudes of 1200 to 5200 m (3,937 to 17,060.4 ft) in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, with the various species having largely allopatric distributions.
Description
They have a total length of approximately 13 centimetres (5.1 in) and a fairly long, slightly decurved black bill. They are sexually dimorphic, with the male having an iridescent green throat (bluish-purple in the Ecuadorian Hillstar), dull greenish upperparts, black central underparts (brown in the Andean Hillstar), paler flanks, and a dark tail with a contrasting white pattern (the pattern is cinnamon in the Wedge-tailed Hillstar, while the tail is entirely dark in the Black-breasted Hillstar). The females are duller, have a whitish throat densely spotted with green, white, buffBuff (colour)
Buff is a pale yellow-brown colour that got its name from the colour of buff leather.Displayed on the right is the colour buff.EtymologyAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, buff as a descriptor of a colour was first used in the London Gazette of 1686, describing a uniform to be "A Red Coat...
or cinnamon underparts, and a dark tail with a contrasting white pattern.
Taxonomy
The Green-headed Hillstar is usually treated as a subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Andean Hillstar. Formerly, the Ecuadorian and White-sided Hillstars were also treated as subspecies of the Andean Hillstar.
- Ecuadorian HillstarEcuadorian HillstarThe Ecuadorian Hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in grassland, scrub and stunted woodland at altitudes of in the Andes of Ecuador and far southern Colombia...
(Oreotrochilus chimborazo) - Andean HillstarAndean HillstarThe Andean Hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in grassland, scrub and woodland in the Altiplano of southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and north-western Argentina...
(Oreotrochilus estella)- Green-headed HillstarGreen-headed HillstarThe Green-headed Hillstar, Oreotrochilus estella stolzmanni, is a species of hummingbird found in the Andes in far southern Ecuador and northern and central Peru in alpine grassland and scrub at altitudes of ....
(Oreotrochilus estella stolzmanni)
- Green-headed Hillstar
- White-sided HillstarWhite-sided HillstarThe White-sided Hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is the southernmost species of hillstar, being found in grassland and scrub at altitudes of in far southern Bolivia, Chile and western Argentina...
(Oreotrochilus leucopleurus) - Black-breasted HillstarBlack-breasted HillstarThe Black-breasted Hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in scrub at altitudes of in the Andes of central Peru. Unlike the other hillstars, the tail, chest and belly of the male Black-breasted Hillstar are almost entirely black.-References:* BirdLife...
(Oreotrochilus melanogaster) - Wedge-tailed HillstarWedge-tailed HillstarThe Wedge-tailed Hillstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. This sexually dimorphic species is found in scrub and woodland at altitudes of in the Andes of Bolivia and far north-western border region of Argentina. It is threatened by habitat loss...
(Oreotrochilus adela)