Swallow-tailed Hummingbird

Characterized as a large-sized hummingbird, this taxon typically measures between 15 and 17 centimeters in total length, with its deeply forked tail accounting for nearly half of its overall size. It displays striking, highly iridescent plumage, with the head, throat, and breast shaded in deep violet-blue, contrasting sharply with the brilliant emerald green of its back and belly. Its long, deeply forked tail is dark blue to blackish and serves as a key diagnostic feature, heavily utilized during aerial displays and aggressive maneuvers. The bill is robust, medium-sized, slightly decurved, and black. Sexual dimorphism is minimal in Eupetomena macroura, though females are often marginally smaller and may present slightly duller coloration than males.

Geographical distribution: This species is widely distributed across central and eastern South America. Its primary stronghold is in Brazil, where it is found from the dry northeast to the southernmost states. It also occurs in eastern Bolivia, throughout central and eastern Paraguay, and reaches its southwestern limit in northeastern Argentina (specifically in Misiones province) and northern Uruguay. Additionally, isolated breeding populations and seasonal records have been documented in the northern reaches of the continent, including parts of Suriname and French Guiana.

Habitat: It primarily frequents semi-open to open wooded environments, systematically avoiding the dense canopy of continuous humid rainforests. It is a characteristic inhabitant of the Cerrado (savanna) and Caatinga (dry scrub) biomes, as well as forest edges, Atlantic Forest secondary growths, agricultural plantations, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable, it has benefited significantly from anthropogenic landscape changes, becoming a familiar and abundant visitor to urban parks, green spaces, and private gardens.

Feeding: Exhibiting a primarily nectarivorous diet, it feeds on the nectar of a diverse array of flowering plants, showing a marked preference for species within the Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Myrtaceae, and Bromeliaceae families. It acts as an effective pollinator while foraging. To supplement its carbohydrate intake with essential proteins, it routinely preys upon small insects and spiders, capturing them mid-air through active aerial hawking or gleaning them directly from vegetation and spiderwebs.

Behavior: Renowned for its extremely aggressive and territorial temperament, it fiercely guards rich nectar sources. It aggressively chases away not only conspecifics but also other hummingbird species and much larger birds, including raptors, jays, and flycatchers. Its flight is exceptionally powerful and agile, marked by audible wingbeats and rapid directional shifts enabled by its specialized tail. Outside the breeding season, it maintains a solitary lifestyle, interacting with others mostly during territorial skirmishes.

Nesting: Parental care is exclusively provided by the female. The nest is a deep, cup-shaped structure carefully constructed using plant fibers, soft down, and mosses, bound together and secured to branches using spider silk, which allows the nest to stretch as the nestlings grow. It is typically positioned on a horizontal fork or branch of a small tree or shrub, ranging from 2 to 10 meters above the ground. The female lays a clutch of two white eggs, incubating them for approximately 15 to 16 days. The altricial chicks are fed via regurgitation and fledge after about 22 to 24 days.

Conservation status: Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, this species possesses a stable and expanding population trend. This conservation status is primarily due to its massive geographical range, high density in suitable habitats, and extraordinary ecological plasticity, which allows it to thrive in human-dominated landscapes and suburban settings where artificial feeders and ornamental gardens offer year-round sustenance.