Heliangelus clarisse (Longuemare, 1841)

Size and Weight

Longuemare's sunangel (Heliangelus clarisse) measures 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in) in length and weighs 5.0 to 6.0 g (0.18 to 0.21 oz). It has a short, straight, blackish bill shorter than 2 cm (0.79 in).

Nominate Male Plumage (Head and Upperparts)

The adult male of the nominate subspecies H. c. clarisse has a narrow glittering blue-green frontlet just above the bill, a dusky crown, and dark bronzy green upperparts. Its throat and upper breast gorget is glittering rosy, with a white pectoral band below it.

Nominate Male Plumage (Underparts and Tail)

The rest of its underparts are dusky buff with round green spots. The inner tail feathers are dark bronzy green, while the outer tail feathers are blackish and occasionally have pale tips.

Female and Juvenile Plumage

The female has dull brown throat feathers with rufous or bronze green inclusions, and its belly has less spotting than the male's. Juveniles have plumage identical to that of the adult female.

H. c. violiceps Male Plumage

Male H. c. violiceps have a strongly blue frontlet and a purple gorget.

H. c. violiceps Female Plumage

Female H. c. violiceps have a dull frontlet; their dull brown throat patch is smaller than that of the nominate subspecies, and a band of dark green separates the throat patch from the white pectoral band.

H. c. verdiscutus Male Plumage

Male H. c. verdiscutus have an emerald green frontlet, a deep bronzy purple crown, and a dark line along the upper edge of the gorget.

H. c. verdiscutus Female Plumage

Female H. c. verdiscutus have the same dark line, and a smaller gorget than the nominate subspecies with a dark green border.

Nominate Subspecies Distribution

The nominate subspecies H. c. clarisse is found in Colombia's Eastern Andes and adjacent western Venezuela.

H. c. violiceps Distribution

H. c. violiceps is found further north, in Serranía del Perijá, which forms the border between Colombia and Venezuela.

H. c. verdiscutus Distribution

H. c. verdiscutus is restricted to the Tamá Massif, an extension of Colombia's eastern Andes on the border with Venezuela.

Habitat Types

Longuemare's sunangel primarily inhabits the edges of humid cloudforest and elfin forest. It can also occur in more open landscapes, including fields with scattered bushes and trees, open woodland, overgrown ravines, and páramo.

Elevation Range

Its elevation range is 1,800 to 3,600 m (5,900 to 11,800 ft).