Long-tailed Sylph

Overview

The Long-tailed Sylph inhabits humid montane and cloud forest along the Andes in South America, where males are unmistakable thanks to an extremely elongated, deeply forked tail that streams behind them in flight. This ornamental tail is used in courtship display and adds dramatically to the visual impression of an otherwise typically sized hummingbird body.

Aside from the tail, the body shows a blue crown and throat contrasting with green body plumage, but it is the tail length and shape that immediately set this species apart from other Andean hummingbirds.

Feather ID Notes

The male's central tail feathers are greatly elongated and iridescent blue-green, deeply forked so the two outer streamers trail well beyond the rest of the tail - a feature unmatched by nearly any other similarly sized hummingbird in the region. The crown and throat show blue iridescence, while the back is green.

• Tail feathers (male): greatly elongated, deeply forked, blue-green iridescent
• Crown/throat feathers: blue, glossy
• Back feathers: green
• Underparts: green, sometimes with a paler wash Females lack the elongated tail, showing a much shorter, more typically proportioned tail along with green upperparts and paler, sometimes buffy underparts.

Plumage Details

Adult males show the spectacular long forked tail along with the blue crown and throat described above. Females are far plainer, with a short tail, green upperparts, and buffy or grayish underparts, lacking both the blue head color and tail elongation. Immature males show intermediate tail lengths as they mature. There is no strong seasonal plumage variation, though tail length can be affected by feather wear and molt timing.

Habitat & Range

This species occupies humid montane and cloud forest, forest edge, and adjacent shrubby areas at moderate to high elevations along the Andes, from Venezuela and Colombia south through Ecuador, Peru, and into Bolivia. Populations are generally resident, with some local elevational movement outside the breeding season.

Behavior & Field Notes

Long-tailed Sylphs feed on nectar from a variety of montane flowering plants, often trap-lining between scattered flower patches, and also take small insects. Males use their long tails in courtship flight displays to attract females. Nests are cup-shaped structures built in dense vegetation. Calls include soft chips and twittering notes.