Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

Purple-backed Thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum) - HBW 5, p. 648

French: Colibri à petit bec German: Purpur-Kurzschnabelkolibri Spanish: Colibrí Piquicorto Común

Taxonomy: Ornismya microrhyncha Boissonneau, 1840, Bogotá, Colombia.
Forms a superspecies with R. dorsale. Perhaps closely related to Lesbia nuna. Races andicolum and albiventre are doubtfully distinct from nominate. “Lesbia ortoni” (= “Zodalia glyceria”) is probably a hybrid of present species and L. victoriae. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

andicolum (Simon, 1921) - Andes of Venezuela (Mérida).
microrhynchum (Boissonneau, 1840) - Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and NW Peru.
albiventre Carriker, 1935 - Andes of C Peru (Huánuco to Cuzco and Apurímac).
bolivianum Schuchmann, 1984 - Andes of Bolivia (Cocapata in Cochabamba).

Least Concern

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6 photos

A nice male perched Locality Río Blanco Reserve, Caldas Department, Colombia
Manakin Nature Tours 3 March 2011 42 weeks ago 3.4
A really nice male perched close Locality Río Blanco Reserve, Caldas Department, Colombia
Manakin Nature Tours 3 March 2011 42 weeks ago 3.4
Male perched on tree flower Locality Pululahua, Pichincha Province, Ecuador
David Weaver 1 year ago 2.7
male_tail Locality Los Nevados National Park, Colombia (ssp microrhynchum)
Diego Calderon - COLOMBIA... 24 May 2011 1 year ago 2.6
male in his perch Locality Los Nevados National Park, Colombia (ssp microrhynchum)
Diego Calderon - COLOMBIA... 24 May 2011 1 year ago 2.5
perching Locality Iguaque National Sanctuary, Boyacá Department, Colombia
oleicfrisbee 1 year ago 2