Biology:Sabrewing
Sabrewing is the common name given to hummingbirds classified in the genus Campylopterus. The group includes ten species. They are Neotropical birds that inhabit mountainous forests, generally near streams.
Sabrewings are on average 12 to 15 cm long. Although small birds, they are relatively large compared to other hummingbirds. The bill is black, strong and slightly curved. The two outer primary remiges (flight feathers) are thick and curved, giving the wings a generally curved appearance. This characteristic is the origin of the common name "sabrewing" and the generic name Campylopterus, from the Greek kampulos (curved) + pteros (wing).
The plumage of sabrewings is based on brownish-green, cinnamon, gray and combinations. Some species have additional shades of violet, particularly on the head, tail and/or throat.
Sabrewings feed on flower nectar, like most hummingbirds, with a preference for flowers of the genus Heliconia.
Taxonomy
The genus Campylopterus was erected by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1827 who listed two species in the genus but did not specify the type.[1] In 1840 the English zoologist George Gray designated the type as Trochilus latipennis Latham, 1790.[2] This is a junior synonym of Trochilus largipennis Boddaert, 1783, the grey-breasted sabrewing.[3][4] The generic name combines the Ancient Greek kampulos meaning "curved" or "bent" and -pteros meaning "-winged".[5]
The genus contains 10 species:[6]
| Image | Name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120px | Campylopterus largipennis | Gray-breasted sabrewing | Amazon rainforest |
| 120px | Campylopterus diamantinensis | Diamantina sabrewing | Brazil |
| 120px | Campylopterus calcirupicola | Outcrop sabrewing | Brazil |
| 120px | Campylopterus hyperythrus | Rufous-breasted sabrewing | Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela |
| 120px | Campylopterus ensipennis | White-tailed sabrewing | northeastern Venezuela and Tobago |
| 120px | Campylopterus falcatus | Lazuline sabrewing | Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela |
| 120px | Campylopterus phainopeplus | Santa Marta sabrewing | Colombia |
| 120px | Campylopterus hemileucurus | Violet sabrewing | southern Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica and western Panama |
| Campylopterus duidae | Buff-breasted sabrewing | Brazil and Venezuela | |
| 120px | Campylopterus villaviscensio | Napo sabrewing | Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru |
References
- ↑ Swainson, William (1827). "On several groups and forms in ornithology, not hitherto defined". Zoological Journal 3: 343-363 [358]. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27485884.
- ↑ Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 13. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668907.
- ↑ Peters, James Lee, ed (1945). Check-list of Birds of the World. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 18. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14480029.
- ↑ Dickinson, E.C.; Remsen, J.V. Jr., eds (2013). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 1: Non-passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-9568611-0-8. https://archive.org/details/howardmoorecompl0001howa/page/124/mode/1up.
- ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4. https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling.
- ↑ AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". doi:10.2173/avilist.v2025. http://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/.
Wikidata ☰ Q535829 entry
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