Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Thalurania furcata
The Fork-tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania furcata) is a uncommon hummingbird found in 11 countries, weighing about 4 g. The fork-tailed woodnymph is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae.
About the Fork-tailed Woodnymph
The fork-tailed woodnymph is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Fork-tailed woodnymph males are 9.5 to 12.9 cm (3.7 to 5.1 in) long and weigh 3.6 to 6 g (0.13 to 0.21 oz). Females are 8 to 10.7 cm (3.1 to 4.2 in) long and weigh 3 to 5 g (0.11 to 0.18 oz). Both sexes of all subspecies have a straight, black, medium-length bill. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have mostly dark bronzy green upperparts, dark dusky bronze crown and nape, and a violet band across the upper back. Their throat is glittering green, the belly violet, and the undertail coverts dark steely blue with dull white edges. Their tail is forked and blue-black. Voice: The fork-tailed woodnymph's song varies somewhat geographically. In Ecuador and Peru it is "an incessant series of high-pitched bisyllabic, thin wiry notes 'see-tseet...see-tseet....see-tseet...'". In eastern Venezuela it is describes as a "repeated variable series of 3–7 insect-like pulsing notes 'tsee-see-see....tsee-see-see-see-see...tsee-see-see...'".
Where it lives
When to see it
The Fork-tailed Woodnymph can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Fork-tailed Woodnymph?
- Fork-tailed woodnymph males are 9.5 to 12.9 cm (3.7 to 5.1 in) long and weigh 3.6 to 6 g (0.13 to 0.21 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Fork-tailed Woodnymph?
- The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is a tiny sized bird weighing about 4 g.
- Where can you see a Fork-tailed Woodnymph?
- The Fork-tailed Woodnymph occurs in 11 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Bolivia.
- What birds look similar to a Fork-tailed Woodnymph?
- The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is most easily confused with the Violet-capped Woodnymph, the Long-tailed Woodnymph and the Crowned Woodnymph.
- Is the Fork-tailed Woodnymph endangered?
- The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Fork-tailed Woodnymph for real
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