Nombre en español: Colibrí Rubitopacio
Nombre cientifico: Chrysolampis mosquitus
Nombre en ingles: Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
Familia: Trochilidae
Foto: Mauricio Ossa
El tucusito rubí (Chrysolampis mosquitus) es una pequeña especie de colibrí, la única del género Chrysolampis.
Características
Mide unos 8 centímetros de largo, y masa 3,5 gramos. Las partes superiores del macho son marrón oscuro con tonos brillantes de verde, con la nuca y coronilla rojo brillante, dorado en el pecho y cola granate, mientras que la hembra tiene partes superiores verde bronce, y las inferiores gris pálido.
La hembra pone dos huevos en un pequeño nido con forma de cáliz, que empollan a los 16 días. Los polluelos son cuidados por sus padres por unos 18-19 días más.
Se alimenta principalmente de néctar, aunque a veces capturan insectos pequeños.
Distribución y hábitat
Es nativa de Aruba, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Guyana Francesa, Guyana, Antillas Holandesas, Panamá, Suriname, Trinidad y Tobago y Venezuela, cubriendo un rango de 5.300.000 kilómetros cuadrados.
Habita en el trópico, en bosques de galería, bosques caducos, campos de cultivo, manglares y parques, bajo los 1500 msnm, aunque su centro de abundancia está bajo los 500 msnm.
No se considera que la especie esté amenazada, aunque se ha clasificado como poco común en algunas partes de su rango.
Ruby-topaz hummingbird
The ruby-topaz hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus), commonly referred to simply as the ruby topaz, is a small bird that breeds in the Lesser Antilles and tropical northern South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas, south to central Brazil and northern Bolivia; also from Colombia into southern Panama. It is the only member of the genus Chrysolampis. It is a seasonal migrant, although its movements are not well understood.This hummingbird inhabits open country, gardens and cultivation. It is 8.1 cm long and weighs 3.5 g. Compared to most other hummingbirds, the almost straight, black bill is relatively short.
The male has green-glossed dark brown upperparts. The crown and nape are glossy red, and the throat and breast are brilliant golden-orange. The rest of the underparts are brown, and the chestnut tail is tipped black. The male often looks very dark, until he turns and the brilliant colours flash in the sunlight.
The female ruby-topaz hummingbird has bronze-green upperparts and pale grey underparts. The tail is chestnut with a dark subterminal band and a white tip. Females from Trinidad typically have a greenish throat-streak (it may appear dark), but this is not common elsewhere in its range. Juvenile females are similar to adult females, but with a white-tipped dusky-brown tail. Juvenile males resemble the juvenile female, but with a variable amount of iridescent orange to the throat.
The female ruby-topaz hummingbird lays two eggs in a tiny cup nest in the fork of a low branch. Incubation takes 16 days, and fledging another 18 or 19.
The food of this species is nectar, taken from a wide variety of flowers, and some small insects. Ruby-topaz hummingbird males perch conspicuously and defend their territories aggressively. The call of this species is a high-pitched tsip.
Wikipedia/eBird/xeno-canto
