Violet-tailed Sylph
Common name: Violet-tailed Sylph
Scientific name: Aglaiocercus coelestis
Clades: Lesbiini - Coquettes
The Violet-tailed Sylph males are 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long including the 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) outer tail feathers. The females are 9.5 to 9.7 cm (3.7 to 3.8 in) long. The species weighs 4.6 to 5.2 g (0.16 to 0.18 oz).
Violet-tailed Sylphs were previously considered to be a breed of Long-tailed Sylphs (Aglaiocercus kingi), but their morphology, behavior, and range made them distinct species. These sylphs live mainly in cloud forests, especially in mossy areas at elevations of around 1000 meters. They also inhabit forest borders and partly open areas with shrubs and trees. Males of this species have stunningly long tail feathers that are purple with blue tips, which distinguish them from the similar Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingi), which has a blue or teal tail. It usually forages near the ground, making repeated circuits to flowers on vines, trees, and shrubs that are distant from each other. Aerial hawking or gathering insects from plants are also ways they gather insects.
2 subspecies:
