Wedge-tailed Sabrewing
Pampa curvipennis
The Wedge-tailed Sabrewing (Pampa curvipennis) is a uncommon hummingbird found in 4 countries. The wedge-tailed sabrewing is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae.
About the Wedge-tailed Sabrewing
The wedge-tailed sabrewing is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and possibly Honduras. Two subspecies have sometimes been treated as separate species, the curve-winged sabrewing and the long-tailed sabrewing.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The wedge-tailed sabrewing is 11.5 to 13.5 cm (4.5 to 5.3 in) long. Males weigh an average of about 6.6 g (0.23 oz) and females 5.0 g (0.18 oz). Their bill is straight, longish, and stout. Adult males have a bright violet crown, metallic green to bronze green upperparts, and bluish green uppertail coverts. Their tail feathers are mostly dull metallic bluish green that becomes purplish black at the ends. The outermost pair have dusky to brownish gray outer webs. Much of their face is dull grayish white to gray, with a white spot behind the eye. Their underparts are brownish gray. Voice: The available descriptions of the wedge-tailed sabrewing's vocalizations apply to the two- or three-subspecies models. (The xeno-canto recordings are from the monotypic species.) Males sing by themselves or in small groups from bare twigs in the forest understory. The song is "a loud, prolonged, gurgling warble interspersed with squeaky chipping".
Where it lives
When to see it
The Wedge-tailed Sabrewing can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Wedge-tailed Sabrewing?
- The wedge-tailed sabrewing is 11.5 to 13.5 cm (4.5 to 5.3 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Wedge-tailed Sabrewing?
- The Wedge-tailed Sabrewing occurs in 4 countries, including Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras.
- What birds look similar to a Wedge-tailed Sabrewing?
- The Wedge-tailed Sabrewing is most easily confused with the Rufous Sabrewing.
- Is the Wedge-tailed Sabrewing endangered?
- The Wedge-tailed Sabrewing is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Wedge-tailed Sabrewing for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.