About Heliangelus strophianus (Gould, 1846)
Species Nomenclature
The gorgeted sunangel (scientific name Heliangelus strophianus (Gould, 1846)) measures 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) in length and weighs approximately 5.3 g (0.19 oz).
Bill Characteristics
It has a short, straight, blackish bill.
Sexual Dimorphism
The species shows slight sexual dimorphism.
Shared Plumage Features
Both sexes have dark velvety green upperparts, a small white spot behind the eye, and a dark steel-blue tail. Their lower underparts are dark green, with dark gray speckles on the rearmost portion.
Male Plumage
Males have a small glittering green frontlet just above the bill. Their throat and upper breast gorget is glittering rose to violet, with a white pectoral band below the gorget.
Female Plumage
Females have dark gray-brown chins, with white fringes on the chin feathers; they occasionally also have some glittering rosy feathers on the chin.
Juvenile Plumage
Juveniles resemble adult females, but have a narrower white pectoral band.
Species Distribution
The gorgeted sunangel ranges from far southwestern Colombia’s Nariño Department south through much of western Ecuador in a discontinuous distribution.
Habitat Preferences
It primarily lives in humid to wet premontane forest, but also occurs in shrubby forest borders and thickets. Within forested areas, it prefers damp ravines.
Elevation Range
Its elevation range spans 1,200 to 2,800 m (3,900 to 9,200 ft), though it is rare at the upper end of this range.
