The Story
I photographed this juvenile Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina) at Los Nevados National Natural Park in Murillo, Tolima, Colombia. It 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. Murillo, at about 3,000 meters, is the highest town in Tolima, and the western edge of the municipality takes in the peaks of Nevado del Ruiz. Los Nevados was declared a national park in 1974 and protects Andean forest, páramo and glaciers on the Central Andes.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400. IUCN lists the Tyrian Metaltail as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
©2019 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