Rufous Sabrewing

The Rufous Sabrewing, known scientifically as Pampa rufa, is a hummingbird species that graces the highlands with its presence. This avian jewel measures between 12.1 to 14 cm in length and tips the scales at an average of 7.5 grams. Both males and females don similar attire, donning bright metallic bronze-green upperparts with a slightly darker crown and more bronzy uppertail coverts. Their faces are adorned with a cinnamon hue and a distinctive white spot behind the eye, while their underparts are a paler shade of cinnamon.

Identification Tips

To identify the Rufous Sabrewing, look for its stout and straight black bill, which is quite broad for a hummingbird. The tail is a key feature, with the central feathers being metallic bronze to greenish bronze, and the adjacent pairs displaying a blackish band near the end with cinnamon tips. The outermost tail feathers have a cinnamon edge, which is particularly noticeable in flight.

Habitat

This species favors the interior and edges of humid evergreen montane forests, as well as pine-oak woodlands. It is also known to inhabit coffee plantations and similar agricultural landscapes, where it can find suitable feeding opportunities.

Distribution

The Rufous Sabrewing is a resident of the western slopes of the highlands, ranging from the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in Oaxaca, Mexico, through Guatemala, and into El Salvador, with sightings as far as Volcán de San Salvador in El Boquerón National Park.

Behaviour

The Rufous Sabrewing is considered mostly sedentary, though it may exhibit some local movements in response to the availability of nectar sources. It is often observed foraging in the understory but will venture up to the canopy at the forest edge.

Song & Calls

The vocal repertoire of the Rufous Sabrewing includes a strong, squeaky series of chipping and chattering, as well as rich, warbled phrases. Its calls are varied, with a sharp, nasal "squihk," a metallic "pli'ik," and a hard, chipping "chi'ilrr chik-chik-chik-chik."

Breeding

During the breeding season, males gather at leks in the dense understory to serenade potential mates. Females construct a small cup nest of moss, lined with thistle down and adorned with lichen, often with a moss "beard" hanging below. The nest is typically placed on a thin, exposed branch close to the ground. The female incubates her clutch of two eggs for about 15 to 16 days, with fledging occurring 23 to 26 days post-hatch.

Diet and Feeding

The Rufous Sabrewing's diet consists primarily of nectar, which it seeks from a variety of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees. It also supplements its diet with small insects, which it catches in flight from a perch.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Rufous Sabrewing as Least Concern, with an estimated population of 20,000 to 50,000 mature individuals. Despite its restricted range and a population that is believed to be decreasing, no specific threats have been identified. In Mexico, it is recognized as a species under special protection, although no targeted conservation program is currently in place.