The swallow tail hummingbird is found in the tropical coastal forests of southeastern Brazil. Its range spans across the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. This strikingly beautiful hummingbirdgets its name from the long, deeply forked tail of the males that resembles the tail of a barn swallow.
What is the swallow tail hummingbird?
The swallow tail hummingbird, scientific name Eupetomena macroura, is a medium-sized hummingbird measuring around 8-10 cm in length. The males have a shiny green crown, back, and wing coverts. Their throat and breast are blue-black, and they have a bright red belly. As mentioned earlier, the most distinguishing feature of the males is their deeply forked tail which can measure up to 11 cm. The females are slightly duller in color with a pale gray throat and breast with greenish flanks.
Where does the swallow tail hummingbird live?
The swallow tail hummingbird is endemic to the Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil. Specifically, it is found along the tropical coastal forests stretching from the state of Rio de Janeiro down to São Paulo. Its habitat consists of forest edges, woodland clearings, parks, and gardens. Here it resides mainly in the understory and mid-level strata of forests.
Some key areas where the swallow tail hummingbird occurs are:
- Rio de Janeiro – Tijuca Forest, Botanical Gardens
- Espírito Santo – Reserva Biológica de Sooretama
- São Paulo – Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Ilha do Cardoso
- Minas Gerais – Viçosa, Carlos Chagas Biological Reserve
What is the habitat of the swallow tail hummingbird?
The swallow tail hummingbird inhabits tropical lowland forests and woodlands along the Atlantic coast of Brazil. Its natural habitat consists of:
- Primary and secondary rainforests
- Forest edges and clearings
- Coastal woodlands
- Parks and gardens, especially those with flowering plants
It occurs from sea level up to 800 m in foothill forests. The swallow tail hummingbird seems to prefer habitats with a dense understory and a mixture of trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and herbs. It also readily adapts to gardens and urban parks that provide nectar flowers.
What is the diet of the swallow tail hummingbird?
Like all hummingbirds, the swallow tail hummingbird has a specialized diet consisting mainly of nectar, tree sap, and small insects.
Some of the main food sources include:
- Nectar – Feed on nectar from a variety of brightly colored, scented flowers such as trumpet vines, passionflowers, and bromeliads.
- Insects – Small insects like flies, beetles, mosquitoes provide essential proteins.
- Tree sap – Sap wells made by woodpeckers are an important mineral source.
- Spider webs – Spider silk provides an additional source of protein.
The swallow tail hummingbird uses its specialized long bill and tongue to drink nectar while hovering in front of flowers. It also hawks small insects in flight or gleans them from foliage in the mid-canopy. Tree sap and spider webs provide supplemental nutrition.
When is the breeding season for the swallow tail hummingbird?
The swallow tail hummingbird breeds between September to December in Brazil, coinciding with spring and early summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Key aspects of its breeding biology are:
- Males display in leks to attract females.
- Females build a small cup nest on branches using plant fibers and spider web.
- Typical clutch is 2 tiny white eggs.
- Incubation lasts 14-19 days.
- Chicks fledge in about 3 weeks.
Interestingly, the male swallow tail hummingbird does not participate in nest building, incubation or rearing the chicks. The female takes sole responsibility for these parental duties.
How does the swallow tail hummingbird communicate?
The swallow tail hummingbird produces various vocalizations and displays for communication, especially during the breeding season:
- Song – Series of high-pitched squeaky notes used to defend territory and attract females.
- Calls – Include sharp chips and whistles used in agonistic encounters.
- Dive displays – Males fly up and then dive down in front of females.
- Shuttling – Males fly back and forth in an aerial courtship display.
In addition to vocalizations, the males also use their brightly colored plumage and specialized tail feathers to visually communicate and impress females.
Is the swallow tail hummingbird endangered?
The swallow tail hummingbird has a restricted range and lives in a vulnerable habitat. However, currently it is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
Some major threats faced by the species include:
- Habitat loss due to deforestation, urbanization, agriculture
- Use of pesticides and pollution
- Climate change impacts
Its population trend seems to be decreasing but the decline is not rapid enough to be classified as threatened. Targeted conservation efforts for the Atlantic Forest ecosystem can help protect the habitat of the swallow tail hummingbird.
Fun facts about the swallow tail hummingbird
- One of the largest hummingbird species found in Brazil
- Males have a tail longer than their body that splits into two long feathers
- Known as beija-flor-tesoura in Portuguese which means scissors-tail hummingbird
- Adept at maneuvering through dense forests due to their high wing-beat of 12-15 beats/second
- Males perform aerial dive displays at speeds of over 60 km/hr
- Females build tiny nests about the size of an egg cup using plant fibers
Comparison with other hummingbird species
Here is a table comparing some key traits of the swallow tail hummingbird with some other hummingbird species found in Brazil:
| Species | Length | Color | Tail shape | Habitat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swallow tail | 8-10 cm | Green, blue, red | Deeply forked | Lowland forest |
| Sapphire-spangled | 9-10 cm | Green, blue, white | Rounded | Forest edges |
| Brazilian ruby | 8-9 cm | Green, blue, red | Short, rounded | Woodlands, gardens |
| Glittering-bellied | 10-13 cm | Green, blue, purple | Slightly forked | Highland forest |
As seen above, the swallow tail hummingbird is among the larger species. It is distinguished by its long, deeply forked tail and preference for lowland primary forests along the Atlantic coast.
Conclusion
In summary, the swallow tail hummingbird is a stunning, medium-sized hummingbird endemic to the Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil. Males have a distinctive forked tail and colorful plumage. This species inhabits tropical coastal forests and adjacent areas, feeding on nectar and small insects. Swallow tail hummingbirds breed in spring and summer. Habitat loss poses the major threat for this species. Targeted conservation programs can help protect the remaining habitat of this unique hummingbird.
