Tourmaline Sunangel
Heliangelus exortis
The Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis) is a uncommon hummingbird found in 2 countries, weighing about 5 g. The tourmaline sunangel is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.
About the Tourmaline Sunangel
The tourmaline sunangel is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The tourmaline sunangel is 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long. Males weigh 3.5 to 8.5 g (0.12 to 0.30 oz) and females 4 to 5.2 g (0.14 to 0.18 oz). Their bill is blackish, straight, and of medium length. Both sexes have dark shining green upperparts and dusky gray underparts with round green spots. Their tails' central feathers are dark bronze and the others blackish. Adult males have a glittering green frontlet just above the bill, a dark purple-blue chin, and a glittering rosy pink gorget with a glittering emerald green border below it. Voice: A vocalization believed to be the tourmaline sunangel's song is "a repeated series of single notes...typically a few high-pitched upslurred notes followed by a slightly lower-pitched downslurred note, 'suwee....suwee..tsew...suwee...tsew...'." Its call is "a short dry gravelly trill 'trrr', repeated at intervals" and it also makes a continuous dry chatter.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Tourmaline Sunangel can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Tourmaline Sunangel?
- The tourmaline sunangel is 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Tourmaline Sunangel?
- The Tourmaline Sunangel is a tiny sized bird weighing about 5 g.
- Where can you see a Tourmaline Sunangel?
- The Tourmaline Sunangel occurs in 2 countries, including Colombia and Ecuador.
- What birds look similar to a Tourmaline Sunangel?
- The Tourmaline Sunangel is most easily confused with the Amethyst-throated Sunangel, the Longuemare's Sunangel and the Gorgeted Sunangel.
- Is the Tourmaline Sunangel endangered?
- The Tourmaline Sunangel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Tourmaline Sunangel for real
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