The marvelous spatuletail is an endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to northern Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs in the northern Peruvian Andes, primarily around the Utcubamba Valley and the Pomacochas area, including protected sites like the Huembo Reserve. It favors humid montane forest edges, scrub, and secondary growth rich in flowering shrubs. Birds also use hedgerows and gardens where nectar plants are abundant. Dense thickets and bamboo patches provide cover and nesting sites.
Altitude Range
1800–2400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The male has only four tail feathers, two of which are extraordinarily elongated and end in iridescent spatules used in elaborate courtship displays. It is restricted to a small area of northern Peru and depends on patches of flowering shrubs along forest edges and gardens. Habitat loss and fragmentation have driven significant declines, and local reserves such as Huembo play a key role in its protection.
Illustration of three males by John Gould
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Males defend rich nectar patches and perform striking display flights, waving the spatules in front of females. Nesting is in small cup nests placed low to mid-level in shrubs. Pairs are not strongly bonded beyond breeding, and territories shift with flower availability.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are thin, high-pitched chips and short twitters given from perches and during chases. Wingbeats produce an audible whir during display, sometimes accompanied by mechanical rustling of the tail spatules.
Plumage
Iridescent green upperparts with clean white underparts; males show brilliant throat sheen and the distinctive spatulate tail tips, females are plainer with shorter tails.
Diet
Primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of native flowering shrubs and vines, including Fuchsia, Salvia, and other tubular blossoms. It supplements its diet with small insects and spiders for protein, gleaned from foliage or caught in brief sallies. Territorial males aggressively guard rich nectar sources and chase intruders.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, secondary growth, and hedgerows where flowering plants are dense. It readily visits gardens and restoration plantings that provide continuous blooms.
