The bearded helmetcrests (Oxypogon) are a genus of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. They are found in Colombia and Venezuela. Primary natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, known as páramo. The genus contains four species.
| Bearded helmetcrest | |
|---|---|
| |
| Green-bearded helmetcrest, Oxypogon guerinii | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Tribe: | Lesbiini |
| Genus: | Oxypogon Gould, 1848 |
| Type species | |
| Ornismya guerinii Boissonneau, 1840
| |
| Species | |
|
see text | |
Taxonomy and species list
editThe genus Oxypogon was introduced in 1848 by the English ornithologist John Gould.[1] The type species was subsequently designated as the green-bearded helmetcrest.[2][3] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek oxus meaning "sharp" or "pointed" with pōgōn meaning "beard".[4]
The genus contains four species:[5]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-bearded helmetcrest
|
Oxypogon lindenii (Parzudaki, 1845) |
Venezuela |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Green-bearded helmetcrest
|
Oxypogon guerinii (Boissonneau, 1840) |
Colombia |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
| Blue-bearded helmetcrest
|
Oxypogon cyanolaemus Salvin & Godman, 1880 |
northern Colombia |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
CR
|
| Buffy helmetcrest
|
Oxypogon stuebelii Meyer, AB, 1884 |
Colombia |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
VU
|
These four species were formerly all considered as subspecies of what was known as the bearded helmetcrest (Oxypogon guerinii). The bearded helmetcrest was split into four separate species based on a study of biometric and plumage data published in 2013.[5][6]
A study of mitochondrial DNA of hummingbirds shows it to be most closely related to the bearded mountaineer (Oreonympha nobilis) and the rufous-capped thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps). The other member of the genus Chalcostigma lay outside the group, suggesting the genus might need revising in the future.[7]
Description
editThe most common species, the white-bearded helmetcrest, measures 11.4 cm (4.5 in) in length, it is a small hummingbird with a very small 8 mm (0.31 in) bill. The adult male has a distinctive pointed black crest and a shaggy white beard. The face and cheeks are blackish, rendering a triangular shape with the white fronted crest and white beard. The underparts are a dull green-grey. The female lacks the beard and crest.[8][9]
The species of bearded helmetcrests are found in the Andes, ranging from altitudes of 3,600 to 4,500 m (11,800 to 14,800 ft) in Venezuela,[9] and 3,200 to 5,200 m (10,500 to 17,100 ft) in Colombia.[8] Its main habitat is the páramo, but can descend to the treeline outside of breeding season.[9]
All species often perch on boulders and flit between low-flowering shrubs, visiting the flowers of the genera Espeletia, Echeveria, Siphocampylus, Castilleja and Draba.[9]
All species breed during the rainy season, and nest in the daisy Espeletia or build a nest of material from the daisy in a cliff or bank.[9]
References
edit- ^ Gould, John (1848). "Drafts for a new arrangement of the Trochilidae". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Part 16 (180): 11–14 [14].
- ^ Gray, George Robert (1855). Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds Contained in the British Museum. London: British Museum. p. 22.
- ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 122.
- ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 287. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ Collar, Nigel J.; Salaman, Paul (2013). "The taxonomic and conservation status of the Oxypogon helmetcrests" (PDF). Conservación Colombiana. 19: 31–38.
- ^ McGuire, Jimmy A.; Witt Christopher C.; Remsen, J. V. Jr; Dudley R.; Altshuler, Douglas L. (2008). "A higher-level taxonomy for hummingbird" (PDF). Journal of Ornithology. 150: 155–65. doi:10.1007/s10336-008-0330-x. S2CID 1918245.
- ^ a b Steven L. Hilty; Bill Brown (1986). A guide to the birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 295. ISBN 0-691-08372-X. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Steven L. Hilty; Rodolphe Meyer de Schauensee (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Princeton University Press. p. 432. ISBN 0-691-09250-8. Retrieved 12 June 2011.