Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)


About Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)
- Kingdom: Animals
- Phylum: Chordates
- Class: Birds
- Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts
- Family: Hummingbirds
The horned sungem is a species of hummingbird native to much of central Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Suriname. It prefers open habitats such as savanna and grassland and readily occupies human-created habitats such as gardens. It recently expanded its range into southern Amazonas and Espírito Santo, probably as a result of deforestation; few other hummingbird species have recently expanded their range. The horned sungem is a small hummingbird with a long tail and a comparatively short, black bill. The sexes differ markedly in appearance, with males sporting two feather tufts ("horns") above the eyes that are shiny red, golden, and green. Males also have a shiny blue head crest and a black throat with a pointed "beard". The female is plainer and has a brown or yellow-buff throat. The species is the only one within its genus, Heliactin.
Source: Wikipedia
Lifelists
Trips
Visits
-
2011-07-14
Chapada dos Guimaraes, BrazilBrief and not great look of hummingbird feeding on flower. Small hummingbird with a long tail.