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The viridian metaltail 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.
ID tip
The viridian metaltail is 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) long and weighs 4.1 to 5.3 g (0.14 to 0.19 oz). It has a medium length, straight, black bill. The adult male of the nominate subspecies has bottle green upper- and underparts. Its gorget is glittering bottle green and it has a purplish blue, slightly forked, tail. The adult female's upperparts are also bottle green. Its throat, breast, and belly are mottled green and white and its outer tail feathers have whitish tips on their underside. Juveniles are similar to adult females. Subspecies M. w. Voice: One vocalizatin of the viridian metaltail is "a descending series of 3–5 squeaky notes, often followed by several jumbled dry buzzy trills 'trsee-seee-seee-sew..trrk-tsetswe-trrk'". It also makes " repeated dry buzzy or gravelly notes."
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Black MetaltailMetallura phoebeThe black metaltail is 11.5 to 12.5 cm (4.5 to 4.9 in) long and weighs about 6 g (0.21 oz).
Scaled MetaltailMetallura aeneocaudaThe scaled metaltail is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 5.2 to 5.4 g (0.18 to 0.19 oz).
Coppery MetaltailMetallura theresiaeThe coppery metaltail is 10 to 10.5 cm (3.9 to 4.1 in) long and weighs about 5 g (0.18 oz).
Learn the Viridian Metaltail for real
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