Bird of the day
Curve-winged sabrewing
Campylopterus curvipennis
The curve-winged sabrewing (Pampa curvipennis) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Mexico.
The curve-winged sabrewing is a large hummingbird with a long, wedge-shaped tail. The nominate subspecies P. c. curvipennis is 11.5 to 13.5 cm (4.5 to 5.3 in) long. The male's tail is about 5.2 cm (2.0 in) long and the female's 4.7 cm (1.9 in). Adult males have a dull metallic violet blue to greenish blue 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 dull grayish white. Adult females are very similar to the male. However, their crown is dull blue rather than violet- to greenish blue. Their two outermost pairs of tail feathers have wide dull gray or whitish tips, and much of the outer web of the outermost pair is brownish gray. Immature birds are similar to the adult female, with a duller crown whose feathers have buff tips, a pale cinnamon wash to the underparts, and a buff wash on the outer tail feathers.
Subspecies P. c. excellens is 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) long. Males weigh an average of 11 g (0.39 oz) and females 6.8 g (0.24 oz). The male's tail is about 6.1 cm (2.4 in) long and the female's 5.0 cm (2.0 in). Both sexes have a slightly decurved black bill. Males have a bright metallic violet crown and the rest of their upperparts are deep metallic green. Much of their face is brownish gray with a white spot behind the eye. Their underparts are grayish white darkening to dull grayish undertail coverts. Their tail is dull metallic green with blackish violet tips to the feathers. The female's crown is duller and its tail feathers have white, not dark violet, tips.
Aliases
Campylopterus curvipennis