Rainbow-bearded Thornbill

Colombia

Jul 17

Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani)

Name Origin:
The genus Chalcostigma is derived from Greek chalkos meaning “bronze” and stigma meaning “mark,” referencing the iridescent throat patch. The species epithet herrani honors Pedro Alcántara Herrán, a former president of Colombia.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 10–12 cm (3.9–4.7 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~5–6 g (0.18–0.21 oz)
🌎 Range: Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru
🧭 Elevation: 2,800–4,500 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small arthropods
🏡 Habitat: Páramo and high-elevation elfin forest edge
🧬 Clade: Lesbiini (a.k.a. “coquettes”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Two subspecies:

Chalcostigma herrani tolimae
Distribution: Volcán Tolima in the Central Andes of Colombia
Chalcostigma herrani herrani
Distribution: Western Andes of southern Colombia (Munchique and south to Nariño), continuing on both slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, and into northern Peru (Piura and NW Cajamarca)

Species Overview

The Rainbow-bearded Thornbill is a high-Andean hummingbird known for its compact build, dark plumage, and spectacular iridescent throat that reflects red, orange, and green in the right light. It prefers windswept páramo zones above the tree line, foraging among low shrubs and cushion plants. Its short, straight bill and territorial nature make it well adapted to sparse, high-elevation ecosystems.

Male Description:
Dusky body with metallic green back, striking multi-colored iridescent beard (typically red, orange, yellow, and green), and dark tail. The gorget appears as a narrow “beard” projecting downward, visible when light hits directly.

Female Description:
Similar overall, but less vivid throat coloration and duller underparts. Females typically lack the fully developed iridescent beard.

Habitat & Behavior:
Occupies páramo and upper elfin forest between 2,800 and 4,500 meters. Often seen perching low on shrubs or flying short distances between flowering plants. Aggressively defends feeding territories. Forages close to the ground, mainly at low shrubs and herbs with tubular flowers. Can survive in harsh, cold conditions typical of its elevation range.

Conservation Note:
Though it inhabits a restricted high-elevation zone, this species is locally common where suitable páramo habitat persists. While climate change poses a long-term threat by shifting vegetation zones upslope, many populations occur in protected areas where páramo remains intact.

Below is the Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani herrani)

Photographed at Hotel Termales del Ruíz, Caldas, Colombia

These individuals belong to the subspecies herrani, which occurs along the Western Andes of southern Colombia and southward through Ecuador and into northern Peru. Although Caldas is typically considered part of the Central Andes, the population near Nevado del Ruíz is consistent with herrani based on range continuity and current distribution records. This form is noted for its vibrant rainbow-colored gorget, especially in males, and its adaptation to cold, windswept páramo zones.