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Long-tailed Sylph

Aglaiocercus kingi

Photo by Dan Doucette
Published on Project Noah
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4.76257, -75.4761

Field Notes

Description:

small bird, extremely long tails, I hope these photos are enough for ID

Habitat:

clearing in cloudforest, 2500m

Notes:

I spotted this hummingbird while I was searching for orchids. I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to photograph when it just hung around for a while.

Species ID Suggestions

Long-tailed Sylph

Aglaiocercus kingi

Comments (17)

WOW, NICE PICTURE!!!
Nice to see another group effort on this one. I appreciate everyone's hard work. With the comments and the +3 on the suggestion, I've updated the ID.
Well I would not like to doubt the suggestion from either of you as it is most likely far more knowledgable than mine but its always good to have options :-)
Very small one, I can just make out but not shaped like the trailbear but I still agree with Sylph. But hopefully someone can confirm one
But this one has a blue throat patch! At least I can see one there, but it is not as brilliant as it might be seen in other pictures, depending on the lightbangulation and the use/not use of flash.
http://enamer.byethost22.com/travels/colombia/birdingtrips/birdingtrips.html This also shows the range is good
That is what i thought too Jellis, BUT having just re-looked at the avian web link it does say tha the subspecies Aglaiocercus kingi caudatus in north colombia lacks the blue throat patch so this could explain why I couldnt find it to try and confirm ID
The image in his spotting shows the patch on the forehead that the Sylph shows, the Trailbear lacks, but shows the throat patch the spotting and Sylph lacks
Uups... There are already some Aglaiocercus suggestions. I opened it some time ago, but did not reload it. Anyway something to check. Debbie and bayucca know how tricky these little hummies could be, remember the one from Ecuador ;-))...
Thanks Debbie, I understand these aren't the best photos for ID. The behaviour does match the trainbearer more but I am no bird expert.
Looks more than Aglaicercus kingi. But I am not sure. Range and habitat looks not bad. http://www.avianweb.com/longtailedsylphhummingbirds.html
It is afterall only a suggestion and you have to make sure first that its correct for scientific purposes, I recently watched a BBC programme in Colombia and these were on it, I remembered them due to their amazing name. I suggested this over the Sylph because you said in the habitat that it was a clearing in the cloud forest which better suited the train bearer as sylphs are forest dwellers and also having enlarged your photo to check for the blue throat patch of the sylph it still looked green to me but I am only going on what I can see :). If it did have a blue throat patch or you could see the tail was bright blue then you know which it is more likely to be. This page has a bit more info: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=270296
Thanks Glen, Jellis and Gilma. I'm not sure about the ID. I think it looks a bit more like the longtailed Sylph but I'd like confirmation.
Gorgeous!! Fantastic spotting, dandoucette!! Long, long tail hummingbird, never hear about such thing, for a minute I thought you spotted a Quetzal, but it looks like a hummer. Hope you get an ID, I am looking forward to that ID!!
Looks like a Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingi)

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