Peruvian sheartail

Distribution

This species can be found in Peru west of the Andes and has been recorded in Ecuador. It has spread into northernmost Chile in recent decades.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are lower slopes and semi-arid coastal zone of Andes, at an elevation up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) above sea level, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest.

Description

Thaumastura cora can reach a length of about 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) in males (tail 7 cm), of about 7 to 7.5 cm (2.8 to 3.0 in) in females. These tiny hummingbirds have a greatly elongated tail streamers and a short and straight black bill. The basic color of the plumage is iridescent green, with a white or light gray belly and an iridescent rosy purple to turquoise throat.

The weight of this species is reportedly 2 to 2.5 g (0.071 to 0.088 oz), with an average mass of approximately 2.2 g (0.078 oz), which makes it one of the lightest birds alive. It seems to be the lightest known birds species found in South America, although other extremely diminutive South American hummingbirds, i.e. woodstars from the genera Myrmia and Chaetocercus based upon their tiny total lengths, may rival them but have no published weights.

Biology

These hummingbirds feed on ectar of flowering cacti, shrubs and trees (Russelia, Melocactus, Cordia and Malvaceae species).