- Marvellous Spatuletail
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Marvellous Spatuletail 
Loddigesia mirabilis by John Gould Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae Genus: Loddigesia
Bonaparte, 1850Species: L. mirabilis Binomial name Loddigesia mirabilis
(Bourcier, 1847)The Marvellous Spatuletail, Loddigesia mirabilis, is a medium-sized (up to 15 cm long) white, green and bronze hummingbird adorned with blue crest feathers, a brilliant turquoise gorget, and a black line on its white underparts. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Loddigesia.
A Peruvian endemic, this species is found in the forest edge of the Río Utcubamba region. It was first reported in 1835 by the bird collector Andrew Matthews for George Loddiges. The Marvellous Spatuletail is unique among birds, for it has just four feathers in its tail. Its most remarkable feature is the male's two long racquet-shaped outer tail feathers that cross each other and end in large violet-blue discs or "spatules". He can move them independently.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, and limited range, the Marvellous Spatuletail is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES. In 2006, American Bird Conservancy provided Peruvian conservation partner ECOAN with support to sign a conservation easement with the Pomacochas Community to protect and manage about 100 acres (0.40 km2) of significant habitat for the Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird. Over 30,000 sapplings of native trees and bushes have since been planted there for the spatuletail. This conservation easement is the first of its kind in Peru.
The Marvellous Spatuletail has been featured on the PBS TV series Nature.[1]
References
- ^ Nature episode "Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air", 10 January 2010.
- BirdLife International (2004). Loddigesia mirabilis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
External links
- Pictures of Marvellous Spatuletail.
- Marvellous Spatuletail videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- IUCN Red List
- Marvelous Spatuletail photo gallery at VIREO including this high-resolution photo
- Spatuletail video at the BBC
Categories:- IUCN Red List endangered species
- Trochilinae
- Genera of birds
- Birds of Peru
- Hummingbird species of South America
- South American restricted-range endemic bird species
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