Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Amazilia tzacatl
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- 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 →
Closest Relatives at Darién National Park
Pale-bellied Hermit
Phaethornis anthophilus
Blue-chested Hummingbird
Polyerata amabilis
White-vented Plumeleteer
Chalybura buffonii
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
Chrysuronia coeruleogularis
Black-throated Mango
Anthracothorax nigricollis
White-necked Jacobin
Florisuga mellivora
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Chlorestes julie
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Phaeochroa cuvierii
Long-billed Starthroat
Heliomaster longirostris
Long-billed Hermit
Phaethornis longirostris
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Glaucis hirsutus
Purple-crowned Fairy
Heliothryx barroti
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 Darién National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird sighting in Darién National Park, based on 820 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Darién National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in Darién National Park in our monthly data.