Velvet browed brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys) is found from southern and eastern Venezuela east through the Guyanas to north central Brazil. This just over 4 inch (11 cm) brilliant male can be recognized by the large green area from the throat down to the upper breast. In the center of this green area, a small purple spot can be sometimes discerned. The female has a pale throat and center breast that is marked with various sized green spots.

There are two subspecies. The nominate subspecies, Heliodoxa xanthogonys xanthogonys, is found from eastern Venezuela into the Guyanas and south into Brazil. The subspecies willardi is local in extreme southern Venezuela.

Based on the capture location, this is the nominate subspecies.

The Brilliant genus (Heliodoxa) of hummingbirds is found widely in western South America and also widely in the Amazon Basin. This genus appears absent in eastern and south eastern Brazil. There are 9 species. Most males are brilliantly colored. Green is usually the main body color.

We have arbitrarily separated herein a few species of hummingbirds based on their tails of males which include feathers that when spread give the outside feathers a longer length than the central tail feathers. These can be called scissor tailed or long tailed hummingbirds. We also have included herein some forked tail hummingbirds.

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