Scaled metaltail
The scaled metaltail ("Metallura aeneocauda") is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia and Peru. Taxonomy and systematics. The scaled metaltail has two subspecies, the nominate "M. a. aeneocauda" and "M. a. malagae". The latter was for a time treated as a separate species. Description. The scaled metaltail is long and weighs . It has a medium length, straight, black bill. The adult male of the nominate subspecies has bottle green upperparts. Its slightly forked tail is iridescent sky blue with bronzy green tones on its upper side and  glittering green on its underside. Its gorget is iridescent bright green. The rest of its underparts are green with a scaly appearance from tan feather margins. The adult female is similar to the male. Its gorget is smaller and its undersides are more mottled. Juveniles are similar to the female. Subspecies "M. a. malagae" is similar to the nominate but the upper side of its tail is bronzy red and the underside red. It also has a longer bill. Distribution and habitat. The nominate subspecies of scaled metaltail is found on the eastern slope of the Andes from the Cordillera  Vilcabamba of southeastern Peru south into northwestern Bolivia's La Paz Department. "M. a. malagae" is found in the vicinity of Inkachaka in central Bolivia's Cochabamba Department. The species inhabits glades and edges of cloudforest and elfin forest and also rocky slopes with herbs and shrubs. In elevation it ranges between and is most common above . Behavior. Movement. The scaled metaltail is believed to be sedentary but some dispersal into "páramo" and lower montane forest is thought possible. Feeding. The scaled metaltail feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants and shrubs, often by clinging to the flower . Males defend feeding territories. In addtion to nectaring, it feeds extensively on insects. Breeding. The scaled metaltail's breeding phenology and nest have not been documented. Its breeding season appears to include May and June. Vocalization. The scaled metaltail's chase call is "a descending series of 3–6 squeaky notes, followed by a repeated, buzzy, jumbled phrase, 'trt-tsee-seee-seee-sew..trr-tsee-tsew..trr-tsee-tsew..'." Status. The IUCN has assessed the coppery metaltail as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. It is "not at risk at present , due to its fairly wide distribution and its rather unspecialized ecology...[but] may be vulnerable in places because [of] regular grassland burning". It occurs in a protected area in each country.