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Scaled Metaltail Metallura aeneocauda Scientific name definitions

Martin Heindl and Peter F. D. Boesman
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 1999

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

Scaled Metaltails inhabit cloudforest glades, elfin forest borders, shrub-filled páramo, and humid rocky slopes. They typically forage in the understory where they tend to cling to flowers while feeding. Little other behavioral information is available for this species. Both sexes are green above and males have a scaly appearance below while females look mostly tan underneath.

Field Identification

12–13 cm; 5·2–5·4 g. Male has medium-sized, straight, black bill; upper­parts bottle-green, underparts appear scaly due to tan feather margins; throat patch iridescent bright green; slightly forked tail iridescent sky-blue and bronzy-green above, glittering green below. Female similar but more mottled below, with only feather centres green; throat patch incomplete; outer tail feathers with pale tips. Juvenile similar to female. Race malagae has longer bill; tail bronzy-red above and red below.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Thought to be closely related to M. williami, M. baroni, M. odomae, M. theresiae and M. eupogon. Race malagae formerly considered a distinct species, but, in context of typical infraspecific variation within present genus, morphological differences justify only subspecific separation; research into vocalizations and other behaviour, however, desirable. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Metallura aeneocauda aeneocauda Scientific name definitions

Metallura aeneocauda aeneocauda
M. a. aeneocauda +1

Distribution

E Andean slopes from SE Peru (Cordillera Vilcabamba) to NW Bolivia (Yungas of La Paz).
SUBSPECIES

Metallura aeneocauda malagae Scientific name definitions

Metallura aeneocauda malagae
M. a. malagae

Distribution

Incachaca (in Yungas of Cochabamba), in C Bolivia.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Bushy glades in cloudforest and at treeline, and sometimes on humid rocky slopes with herbs, low shrubs and occasional bushes. Ranges between 2500 m and 3600 m, but mostly well above 3000 m. Forages hovering within 2 m of the ground.

Movement

No information; but presumably sedentary. Individuals sometimes disperse high up into the páramo zone and possibly also down into the montane forest.

Diet and Foraging

Nectar of Berberis, Brachyotum, Centropogon, Gentiana, Ribes and other flowers with 2–4 cm corollas, to which they often cling. Feeds extensively on insects. Male establishes feeding territories.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Chase call is almost identical to M. theresiae and M. eupogon: a descending series of 3–6 squeaky notes, followed by a repeated, buzzy, jumbled phrase, “trt-tsee-seee-seee-sew..trr-tsee-tsew..trr-tsee-tsew..”, and similar in structure to other members of the genus.

Breeding

Specimens with enlarged gonads found in May and Jun. Clutch two white eggs; incubation by female. No further information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. CITES II. Restricted-range species: present in Bolivian and Peruvian Upper Yungas EBA. Fairly common locally. Species not at risk at present, due to its fairly wide distribution and its rather unspecialized ecology. In the context of its small range, may be vulnerable in places because regular grassland burning has destroyed the natural treeline habitat over large areas. Protected within the upper Manu National Park in Peru and Carrasco-Ichilo National Park in Bolivia.
Distribution of the Scaled Metaltail - Range Map
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  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Scaled Metaltail

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Heindl, M. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Scaled Metaltail (Metallura aeneocauda), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.scamet1.01
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