Green-tailed Trainbearer

Common name: Green-tailed Trainbearer
Scientific name: Lesbia nuna
Clades: Lesbiini - Coquettes

The male Green-tailed trainbearer is 15.3 to 17 cm (6.0 to 6.7 in) long including the 10.6 to 13.6 cm (4.2 to 5.4 in) long tail. The females are about 11.6 cm (4.6 in) long including their 4.5 to 6.2 cm (1.8 to 2.4 in) long tail. The species weighs 3.1 to 4.3 g (0.11 to 0.15 oz).

The Green-tailed Trainbearer has a narrow, forked tail that is twice as long as its body. Males and females are both bright green, with extensive green spots on the underside of the females. It prefers second-growth, shrubby forest edges, bushy pastures, parks, páramo, and hedged areas. Black-tailed Trainbearers (Lesbia victoriae) typically dominate higher elevations. In addition to hovering at flowers at varying heights, these hummingbirds are active and defensive. Females keep small floral territories. A snapping sound is made with the tail during courtship displays.

7 subspecies:

1. L. n. gouldii
   Distribution E Andes of NE Colombia (Boyacandaacute; and Cundinamarca) and C Andes of S Colombia (S Cauca, Nariandntilde;o); old record from Venezuela (Mandeacuterida) has recently been questioned.

2. L. n. gracilis
   Distribution Andes of Ecuador.

3. L. n. aureliae
   Distribution Andes of southeastern Ecuador (Azuay to Loja).

4. L. n. pallidiventris
   Distribution Andes of N and C Peru (E Piura to W Huánuco).

5. L. n. huallagae
   Distribution Andes of C Peru (Huallaga Valley in C Huánuco).

6. L. n. nuna
   Distribution Andes of sw Peru and n Bolivia.

7. L. n. boliviana
   Distribution Andes of Bolivia (La Paz to Cochabamba).