Chalybura buffonii (R.Lesson, 1832)

Species Identification

The white-vented plumeleteer, scientifically named Chalybura buffonii (R.Lesson, 1832), is 10.5 to 12 cm (4.1 to 4.7 in) long.

Size and Weight

Males weigh 6 to 7.3 g (0.21 to 0.26 oz), while females weigh 5.9 to 7.9 g (0.21 to 0.28 oz).

Bill and Foot Morphology

All subspecies except C. b. intermedia have black bills and black feet. C. b. intermedia has a pinkish base to the mandible and pale pink to red feet.

Nominate Male Plumage (Upperparts)

For the nominate subspecies C. b. buffonii, males have mostly dark metallic green upperparts with a bronzy tinge to the crown and coppery bronze uppertail coverts.

Nominate Male Plumage (Underparts)

Their upper breast is bluish, lower breast is bright metallic green, lower belly is whitish, and undertail coverts are long and white.

Nominate Male Tail

Their tail is blue-black with a bronze gloss on the central feathers.

Nominate Female Plumage

Nominate females have paler metallic green upperparts and gray underparts with green speckles on the sides.

Nominate Female Tail

Their tail matches the male's tail, with the addition of dull gray tips on the outer feathers.

Subspecies C. b. micans Traits

Subspecies C. b. micans is larger than the nominate. Males of this subspecies have deeper blue central tail feathers, and females have clearer gray undersides.

Subspecies C. b. aeneicauda Traits

C. b. aeneicauda males are more golden-green on the underparts than the nominate, and their central tail feathers are bright bronze-green to copper-bronze. Females of this subspecies have pale gray underparts with sparse green flecks.

Subspecies C. b. caeruleogaster Traits

C. b. caeruleogaster is the largest subspecies. Males have a bluish green throat and belly, and a blue breast. Females have gray underparts with no flecking.

Subspecies C. b. intermedia Traits

C. b. intermedia males have a greenish-blue breast, a gray belly, and a dark blue tail.

Subspecies Distribution

The subspecies of white-vented plumeleteer have the following distributions: C. b. micans is found in central and eastern Panama, western Colombia, and Colombia's Cauca River and far upper Magdalena River valleys; C. b. buffonii ranges from the upper and middle Magdalena valley of central Colombia east through extreme northeastern Colombia into northwestern Venezuela; C. b. aeneicauda occurs in Colombia's lower Magdalena valley and Santa Marta region, and extends east into western and north-central Venezuela; C. b. caeruleogaster lives on the eastern slope of Colombia's Eastern Andes; C. b. intermedia is found in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

Habitat Types

The white-vented plumeleteer inhabits many different landscapes, including edges and interiors of dry, moist, and wet forests, semi-open woodlands, secondary forest, and scrublands.

Subspecies Habitat Variation

Subspecies have slightly different habitat requirements; only caeruleogaster and sometimes buffonii regularly occur in the interior of wet forest.

Elevational Range

Across the species, its elevational range extends from sea level up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).