Tyrian Metaltail

Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina)

Name Origin:
The genus Metallura comes from Greek metallon meaning “metal” and oura meaning “tail,” referring to its iridescent metallic tail. The species name tyrianthina refers to the Tyrian purple-like tones in some subspecies’ plumage.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: ~9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~2.7–5.1 g (0.10–0.18 oz)
🌎 Range: Andes of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
🧭 Elevation: Typically 2,500–3,400 m (8,200–11,150 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Cloud forest, elfin forest, and shrubby high-Andean zones
🧬 Clade: Lesbiini “Coquettes and Sylphs”
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

1. Metallura tyrianthina districta
   Distribution: Santa Marta Mountains and Serranía del Perijá (northern Colombia to northwest Venezuela)

2. Metallura tyrianthina chloropogon
   Distribution: Northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela (Lara region)

3. Metallura tyrianthina oreopola
   Distribution: Andes of western Venezuela (Trujillo, Mérida, north Táchira)

4. Metallura tyrianthina tyrianthina
   Distribution: Andes of Colombia, eastern and southern Ecuador, and extreme northern Peru

5. Metallura tyrianthina quitensis
   Distribution: Northwestern Ecuador

6. Metallura tyrianthina septentrionalis
   Distribution: West slope of the Andes in northern Peru (Cajamarca to Lima)

7. Metallura tyrianthina smaragdinicollis
   Distribution: East slope of the Andes from northern Peru to central Bolivia

Species Overview
The Tyrian Metaltail is a high-elevation hummingbird notable for its compact form and brilliant tail coloration, which varies by subspecies. Males typically have shimmering green upperparts and a bright metallic tail, while females are more subdued with pale underparts and less saturated tail hues. This species occupies a variety of montane habitats near the treeline, often feeding from tubular flowers and picking insects from vegetation.

Male Description:
Bright green body with a glittering gorget (varies by subspecies), and an iridescent violet, copper, or bronze tail. Bill is straight and black.

Female Description:
Similar to the male, but paler overall with a spotted or streaked throat and a less vibrant tail.

Habitat & Behavior:
Inhabits cloud forest edges, elfin woodland, and shrubby páramo. Frequently seen perched on exposed branches or feeding along ridgelines. Territorial around rich nectar sources. Also hawks for small insects mid-air.

Conservation Note:
Widespread across the Andes with multiple localized subspecies. While currently not under significant threat, continued preservation of Andean montane habitats is essential to prevent future population declines, especially for those subspecies with narrow ranges.

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Below is the Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina districta)

Photographed at HOSTAL EL RAMO, Magdalena; Estación Experimental San Lorenzo PNN, Magdalena; and Reserva Bosque Guajira, Cundinamarca, Colombia

These individuals belong to the subspecies districta, which occurs in the Santa Marta Mountains and Serranía del Perijá of northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. It inhabits humid montane forest and shrubby ridgelines, typically between 2,400 and 3,400 meters. Males exhibit a distinctive violet-purple tail, which helps distinguish them from other populations.

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Below is the Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina tyrianthina)

Photographed at Observatorio de Colibries, Cundinamarca; Ranger Station, Cesar; and Hacienda El Bosque, Caldas, Colombia

These individuals belong to the subspecies tyrianthina, which is the nominate form found throughout the Andes of Colombia, extending southward into Ecuador and northern Peru. It frequents high Andean shrublands and elfin forests. Males of this subspecies typically have a reddish-bronze tail, a characteristic feature used to separate it from other groups.

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