Blue chin sapphire (Eucephala caerulea to Chlorostilbon notatus) is found widely in the northeastern third of the mainland of South America. This is found from eastern Colombia east through the Guyanas and south to eastern Brazil. This is also found from Colombia to southeastern Peru. This almost 4 inch (9 cm) hummingbird can be recognized by the general green color of the male that shows a small purple throat area. The female is golden green with a white breast marked with green spots and green markings.

There are three subspecies. The nominate subspecies, Chlorostilbon notatus notatus, is found from northern Colombia east to the Guyanas and then south into eastern Brazil. This is also found in the southern Caribbean on both Tobago and Trinidad. The subspecies puruensis is found from northwestern Brazil west to southern Colombia and then south to northeastern Peru. The subspecies obsoletus is found in north eastern Peru.

Based on the origins of John Gould's specimens from Cayenna, Trinidad, and Brazil, we conclude this is the nominate subspecies.

Fogden, Taylor, and Williamson have moved this life form into a new genus entitled Chlorestes, and have named it Chlorestes notata.

The Emerald genus of hummingbirds (Chlorostilbon) is found from northern Mexico and the Caribbean south to Bolivia and east to much of Brazil and south to Argentina. There were about 17 species in this genus, but it appears two of them are extinct. Furthermore, Chlorostilbon notatus can be moved to Chlorestes notata.

Additionally, two subspecies of Chlorostilbon mellisugus have been raised to full species status:
Chlorostilbon mellisugus melanorhynchus to Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus
Chlorostilbon mellisugus gibsoni to Chlorostilbon gibsoni

We have arbitrarily separated herein a few species of hummingbirds based on their tails of males which include feathers that can be spread into a fan with the feathers of all about the same length. In this group we have placed species where the feathers end in a rounded tip or a very dull point.

Since this feature can be found in several unrelated genera, this division is useful as an aid to identification, but not as an aid to cladistic taxonomy.

Hummingbirds (Family Trochilidae) are a family of 319 species of small birds that are well-known for their ability to hover. Prior to 1900, millions of these birds were exported from South America (primarily Colombia) and the Caribbean for use in jewelry in Europe and England. Many of the species are very brilliantly colored.

This family is nicely represented in Costa Rica where over 50 different species have been recorded.

Swifts and Hummingbirds (Order Apodiformes) are combined into a single order. Both families have excellent flying abilities. The swifts are known for their speed, and the hummingbirds for their ability to hover.

Clements in 2007 listed 100 swifts, 4 treeswifts, and 339 hummingbirds. (Total of 443 species.)

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

NEW SEARCH