Rainbow-bearded Thornbill
A species of Chalcostigma thornbills Scientific name : Chalcostigma herrani Genus : Chalcostigma thornbills
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, A species of Chalcostigma thornbills
Botanical name: Chalcostigma herrani
Genus: Chalcostigma thornbills
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Nikolaj Mølgaard Thomsen 
Description
A medium-sized hummingbird, about 10.8-10.9cm in length, with a short, needle-like bill. The bird is mostly dark green with a white dot behind the eye, black primaries and white undertail coverts. The head has a long, rufous crest. The gorget ("beard"), more prominent in the male bird, is a rainbow of colours from celadon-green through turquoise to yellow and red at the lower end. The large tail is dark purple with prominent white tips at the corners. These white tips are most easily seen from below. The feet are black. Female birds are pale yellowish-ochre from lower the belly to the undertail coverts. Juvenile birds have white speckles on the throat and no beard. 
Size
12 cm
Feeding Habits
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill predominantly consumes nectar from small bush and shrub flowers, displaying a clinging feeding behavior. It supplements its diet with insects opportunistically.
Habitat
The habitat of rainbow-bearded Thornbill typically comprises shrubby paramo environments. These birds are found in areas with a robust presence of terrestrial bromeliads and ferns, which often include well-drained, rocky hillsides. The vegetation in their habitat commonly includes bromeliads like Puya and Tillandsia, ferns such as Blechnum, and a variety of shrubs including Brachytum. Rainbow-bearded Thornbill also inhabit the edges of brushy areas and may occasionally be found in humid Polylepis woodlands. Fire plays a role in maintaining these habitats in some regions.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Behavior
This species typically forages alone. It is very territorial. It will chase off competitors for food sources, even if they are considerably larger (e.g. flowerpiercers) and will not tolerate other hummingbirds even on large fruiting trees.
Distribution Area
A hummingbird of high altitudes, it is typically found from 2800 to 4100m in Colombia and 2800-3700m in Ecuador. Its primary habitat is elfin forest, open country with bushy patches and small woodlands, and gulleys with thickets of ferns and bromeliads.
Photo By Nikolaj Mølgaard Thomsen 
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Swifts and hummingbirds Family
Hummingbirds Genus
Chalcostigma thornbills Species
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill 
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