Hyacinth Visorbearer
Common name: Hyacinth Visorbearer
Scientific name: Augastes scutatus
Clades: Polytminae - Mangoes
An exquisite hummingbird restricted to the highlands of southeastern Brazil, the Hyacinth Visorbearer is a specialty of rocky campos rupestres and open montane scrub. Measuring about 10 to 11 cm (4 to 4.3 in) in length and weighing approximately 5 to 6 grams (0.18 to 0.21 oz), this species combines bold colors with a striking structure.
Male Description:
The male is truly dazzling with a glowing iridescent blue-purple (hyacinth) throat and crown, which together create the signature “visor” effect. His upperparts and belly are bronzy-green, while the lower belly and undertail coverts are grayish. The slightly forked tail is dark with subtle iridescence. His bill is straight and black, ideal for foraging among montane flowering plants.
Female Description:
Females are less vivid, lacking the male’s brilliant visor. They show duller green upperparts and pale grayish underparts, often with faint scaling on the throat and breast. Their tail is similar in structure but edged with pale tips, giving a softer look. Females maintain the same straight black bill adapted to nectar feeding.
Habitat & Behavior:
Found in isolated, rocky upland habitats at elevations typically between 900 and 1,400 meters (2,950 to 4,600 feet), this species feeds primarily on nectar from low shrubs and flowering herbs, often perching conspicuously.
3 subspecies:
A. s. scutatus
Distribution high altitudes in mountainous parts of C and E Minas Gerais, in EC Brazil.A. s. sedentarius
Distribution moderate altitudes in mountainous parts of C and E Minas Gerais (EC Brazil).A. s. sedentarius
Distribution R Piracicaba basin in SC Minas Gerais (EC Brazil).
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