Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Amazilia tzacatl
Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyTrochilidae (Hummingbirds)
- GenusAmazilia
- SpeciesAmazilia tzacatl (Rufous-tailed Hummingbird)
About the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
The rufous-tailed hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) is a medium-sized hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from east-central Mexico through Central America and Colombia into Ecuador and Venezuela.
The rufous-tailed hummingbird was formally described in 1833 by the Mexican naturalist Pablo de La Llave. He placed it in the genus Trochlilus and coined the binomial name Trochilus tzacatl. The rufous-tailed hummingbird is now placed in the genus Amazilia and was introduced in 1843 by the French naturalist René Lesson. The genus name comes from the Inca heroine in Jean-François Marmontel's novel Les Incas, ou la destruction de l'Empire du Pérou. The specific epithet is from Aztec mythology: Tzacatl was a warrior chief.
The rufous-tailed hummingbird has these five recognized subspecies: A. t. tzacatl (La Llave, 1833) A. t. handleyi Wetmore, 1963 A. t. fuscicaudata (Fraser, 1840) A. t. brehmi Weller & Schuchmann, 1999 A. t. jucunda (Heine, 1863)
A. t. handleyi was originally described as a separate species, the Escudo hummingbird. At least one author treated the rufous-tailed hummingbird and the chestnut-bellied hummingbird (Saucerottia... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Chingaza National Natural Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Chingaza National Natural Park
Tyrian Metaltail
Metallura tyrianthina
Glowing Puffleg
Eriocnemis vestita
Bronze-tailed Thornbill
Chalcostigma heteropogon
Sparkling Violetear
Colibri coruscans
Longuemare's Amethyst-throated Sunangel
Heliangelus clarisse
Coppery-bellied Puffleg
Eriocnemis cupreoventris
Lesser Violetear
Colibri cyanotus
Purple-backed Thornbill
Ramphomicron microrhynchum
Great Sapphirewing
Pterophanes cyanopterus
Blue-throated Starfrontlet
Coeligena helianthea
Long-tailed Sylph
Aglaiocercus kingii
Green-bellied Hummingbird
Saucerottia viridigaster
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Chingaza National Natural Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird sighting in Chingaza National Natural Park, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Chingaza National Natural Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Chingaza National Natural Park in our monthly data.