Sappho sparganurus (Shaw, 1812)

Common Name and Taxonomy

This species, Sappho sparganurus (Shaw, 1812), is commonly known as the red-tailed comet.

Male Length

Males of the species are 19 to 20 cm (7.5 to 7.9 in) long, which includes their 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 in) tail.

Female Length

Females measure 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) in length.

Species Weight

The full species has an approximate weight of 4 to 6.5 g (0.14 to 0.23 oz).

Nominate Male Head and Gorget

Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a shining green head with a golden green or emerald green gorget.

Nominate Male Body Plumage

Their back and rump are reddish purple, and their underparts are mostly green with buffy undertail coverts.

Nominate Male Tail

They have a long, deeply forked tail; the upper surface of the tail appears reddish purple to green depending on the angle of incoming light, and the tail feathers have wide velvety black to dusky purple tips.

Female Plumage Overview

Adult females are overall duller in color than males, and have a shorter tail.

Female Upperparts

Their head and back are shining green, and their rump is reddish purple.

Female Underparts

Their throat and underparts are pale buff, with small green speckles on the throat, breast, and upper belly.

Female Tail Features

The outer tail feathers of females have white or buffy white outer webs.

Juvenile Plumage

Juveniles resemble adult females, but have dull bronzy green upperparts with a slightly coppery rump, and more white on their outer tail feathers.

S. s. sapho Plumage Differences

Subspecies S. s. sapho is paler than the nominate subspecies, and is golden orange in the areas where the nominate subspecies is reddish purple.

Shared Morphological Traits

Both sexes of both subspecies have a reddish brown iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet.

Range Disagreement Overview

Sources do not agree on the full range of the red-tailed comet.

SACC Range Classification

According to the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society, the species is found only in Argentina and Brazil.

Alternative Range Reports

Other taxonomic systems and authors add Chile, possibly Peru but not Chile, both Chile and Peru, or Peru and possibly Chile to its documented range.

Subspecies Distribution Disagreement

Sources also disagree on the distributions of the two recognized subspecies.

Nominate Subspecies Distribution Reports

The nominate subspecies has been variously reported as occurring in northern Bolivia and possibly extreme southern Peru; in northern and central Bolivia; and in northern and central Bolivia, as an accidental in southern Peru.

S. s. sapho Distribution Reports

Subspecies S. s. sapho has been variously placed in central Bolivia and northern and western Argentina; in southern Bolivia, northern and western Argentina, and east-central Chile; and from southern Bolivia to western Argentina and northern Chile.

Primary Habitat

The red-tailed comet inhabits arid montane scrublands on the eastern slope of the Andes and in valleys within the Andes.

Habitat Characteristics

Its typical habitat has a landscape characterized by scattered trees, a bushy understorey, and dense tangles in ravines.

Additional Habitat

It also occurs in Polylepis woodlands.

Elevation Range

Most of its range falls between 1,500 and 4,200 m (4,900 and 13,800 ft) in elevation, though it has been reported as low as 400 m (1,300 ft).