Sabrewing

Sabrewing
Gray-breasted Sabrewing Campylopterus largipennis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Trochiliformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Genus:	Campylopterus Swainson, 1827
Species
See text.

The sabrewings are relatively large Neotropical hummingbirds in the genus Campylopterus. They are species of the understory and edges of forests, mostly in mountains, and often near streams. The female Sabrewing lays its two white eggs in a relatively large cup nest on a low horizontal branch, usually over a stream.

The sabrewings are very large for hummingbirds, typically 12–15 cm long. The black bill is strong and slightly decurved. The shafts of the male’s two outermost primary flight feathers are thickened, flattened and bent at an angle to give the distinctive feature which gives the sabrewings their English and scientific names (Greek καμπυλος kampylos, "bent", and πτερον pteron, "wing").

In some species, the male and female plumage is similar, in others, such as the violet sabrewing, the sexes look completely different. In several species, the three outer pairs of the tail feathers are broadly tipped white.

The food of sabrewings is nectar, taken mainly from undergrowth flowers such as Heliconia and bananas.

Species

• Curve-winged sabrewing, Campylopterus curvipennis
• Wedge-tailed sabrewing, Campylopterus pampa
• Long-tailed sabrewing, Campylopterus excellens
• Gray-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus largipennis
• Rufous sabrewing, Campylopterus rufus
• Violet sabrewing, Campylopterus hemileucurus
• Rufous-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus hyperythrus
• White-tailed sabrewing, Campylopterus ensipennis
• Lazuline sabrewing, Campylopterus falcatus
• Santa Marta sabrewing, Campylopterus phainopeplus
• Napo sabrewing, Campylopterus villaviscensio
• Buff-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus duidae
  • Sombre hummingbird, Campylopterus cirrochloris (by most authorities placed in the monotypic genus Aphantochroa).
  • Swallow-tailed hummingbird, Campylopterus macrourus (by most authorities placed in the monotypic genus Eupetomena).

References

• A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
• ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
• Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5.