Rainbow Starfrontlet
Coeligena iris
Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyTrochilidae (Hummingbirds)
- GenusCoeligena (Incas and Starfrontlets)
- SpeciesCoeligena iris (Rainbow Starfrontlet)
About the Rainbow Starfrontlet
The rainbow starfrontlet (Coeligena iris) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru. The rainbow starfrontlet has these six subspecies: C. i. hesperus Gould (1865)
C. i. iris Gould (1853) C. i. aurora Gould (1853) C. i. flagrans Zimmer, JT (1951) C. i. eva Salvin (1897) C. i. fulgidiceps Simon (1921) Early in the 20th century, subspecies C. i. hesperus, C. i. aurora, C. i. eva were considered to be separate species. "Striking differences between subspecies suggest that several are very close to species status...further gathering and analysis of evidence is needed, however, in order to produce coherent revision of species limits in this complex."
The rainbow starfrontlet is 12.5 to 14 cm (4.9 to 5.5 in) long. Males weigh 6.7 to 8.8 g (0.24 to 0.31 oz) and females 6 to 8.1 g (0.21 to 0.29 oz). Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill, with the female's being somewhat longer than the male's. Both sexes have a white spot behind the eye. Both sexes also have a forked tail, but the male's is more deeply indented than the female's. The subspecies differ significantly... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Rainbow Starfrontlet in Huascarán National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Huascarán National Park
Black Metaltail
Metallura phoebe
Giant Hummingbird
Patagona gigas
Sparkling Violetear
Colibri coruscans
Shining Sunbeam
Aglaeactis cupripennis
Green-headed Hillstar
Oreotrochilus stolzmanni
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Chalcostigma stanleyi
Green-tailed Trainbearer
Lesbia nuna
Tyrian Metaltail
Metallura tyrianthina
Lesser Violetear
Colibri cyanotus
Purple-collared Woodstar
Myrtis fanny
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Lesbia victoriae
Oasis Hummingbird
Rhodopis vesper
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cajas National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Huascarán National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rainbow Starfrontlet in Huascarán National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rainbow Starfrontlet sighting in Huascarán National Park, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rainbow Starfrontlet in Huascarán National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Rainbow Starfrontlet in Huascarán National Park in our monthly data.