The Story
This Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina) was at the Observatorio de Colibríes in La Calera, near Bogotá, Colombia when I photographed it. The Tyrian Metaltail takes nectar from many flowering plants, hovering or clinging, and sometimes piercing the base of a flower. It also catches small insects on the wing. Its breeding seasons vary widely along its long north-south range. The Observatorio de Colibríes sits at about 3,000 meters in high Andean forest, in the vereda Frailejonal of La Calera, near Bogotá. IUCN lists the Tyrian Metaltail as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600. Victoria Lizarralde and her family began the observatory in 2005, and they plant native flowers, keep the feeders fresh and host school visits to promote conservation.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina) belongs to the family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
