Introduction
The Slender Sheartail (Doricha enicura) is a small hummingbird of the highlands and interior valleys of southern Mexico and northern Central America. It is locally uncommon to locally common and is associated mainly with semi-open habitats rather than dense, closed-canopy forest. The species is also known as the Guatemalan Sheartail in some regional sources.
Physical Description
The Slender Sheartail is a small, long-billed hummingbird weighing approximately 2.3–2.6 grams. The sexes are distinctly different in appearance.
Adult males are about 11–12.5 centimetres long, including the tail. They have green upperparts, a dark chin, a pinkish-purple iridescent gorget, pale underparts and a very long, deeply forked tail. The central tail feathers are green, while the outer feathers are darker. A small white spot behind the eye is visible on both sexes. The black bill is long, slender and distinctly decurved.
Females are shorter, usually about 8–9 centimetres long, with a much less deeply forked tail. They are green above and mainly cinnamon-buff or pale cinnamon below, with a darker line through the eye and pale markings on the face. Their outer tail feathers show contrasting dark bands and pale tips. Immature birds resemble females and may lack the full colour and tail development of adult males.
Range and Habitat
The Slender Sheartail occurs from Chiapas in southern Mexico through Guatemala to western Honduras and north-eastern El Salvador. It is a resident species, although its local abundance may vary seasonally.
It is found mainly at elevations of approximately 1,000–3,000 metres, especially in forest openings, woodland edges, secondary growth, scrub, coffee landscapes and other semi-open areas with flowering plants. It is less typical of dense, mature forest. The species is monotypic, with no currently recognised subspecies.
Where to See This Species
Finca El Pilar, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala
Finca El Pilar, near Antigua Guatemala, has documented Slender Sheartails in its bird checklist. Its trails pass through high-elevation woodland and open areas between approximately 1,700 and 2,400 metres, providing suitable habitat for this locally distributed hummingbird. Access is generally arranged in advance.
Nearby accommodation: Antigua Guatemala offers a wide range of hotels, guest houses, lodges and self-catering accommodation.
IMAP Bird Sanctuary, San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá, Guatemala
The IMAP Bird Sanctuary is a publicly visitable conservation and birdwatching area near Lake Atitlán. Slender Sheartail has been recorded along its bird trails, where regenerating woodland, gardens and semi-open vegetation provide appropriate habitat. Visits should be arranged with the sanctuary before arrival.
Nearby accommodation: San Lucas Tolimán and the Lake Atitlán shoreline provide hotels, guest houses, lodges and self-catering accommodation.
Los Tarrales Natural Reserve, Suchitepéquez, Guatemala
Los Tarrales Natural Reserve has documented Slender Sheartails, including juvenile birds, and is a recognised birdwatching site on the Pacific slope of Guatemala. The reserve includes forest, gardens, scrub and open areas, with suitable conditions for searching flowering vegetation and edges, particularly during the drier season.
Nearby accommodation: Accommodation is available at the reserve, while Patulul and the Lake Atitlán area provide additional lodges, guest houses and small hotels.
Behaviour and Diet
Slender Sheartails are usually seen alone while feeding. Males defend feeding areas and may display aggressively towards other hummingbirds. During courtship, males can perform rapid flights and tail displays, although detailed information about the species’ breeding behaviour remains limited.
The diet consists mainly of nectar from flowering plants. The birds also take small insects and spiders, which provide protein and other nutrients. They forage from near ground level to the middle layers of vegetation. Males often hold the long tail nearly upright while feeding, whereas females may wag or open and close the tail.
The species is generally sedentary, but numbers can change locally with flowering conditions and other seasonal factors. Documented breeding information is limited. The female builds the small cup-shaped nest, incubates the eggs and cares for the young without assistance from the male. Breeding has been recorded in Guatemala and southern Mexico, including observations of nests, eggs and juveniles.
Identification Tips
Look for a small hummingbird with a long, slightly curved black bill and a distinctive preference for open woodland, scrub and forest edges in the highlands.
- Adult males have a very long, deeply forked dark tail, green upperparts and a bright pinkish-purple throat.
- Females and immature birds are shorter-tailed, green above and cinnamon-buff below.
- The white spot behind the eye is a useful feature on both sexes.
- The bird may perch quietly between feeding visits, but its fast hovering flight and tail movements can make it easy to overlook.
- The long forked tail helps distinguish adult males from most other small hummingbirds in the same habitat. Females and immature birds require closer attention to the combination of the decurved bill, facial pattern, cinnamon underparts and partly banded tail.
Conservation Status
The Slender Sheartail is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, its population is considered to be declining, and habitat clearance for agriculture is the principal recorded threat. Loss and fragmentation of semi-open highland habitats may reduce feeding and breeding opportunities.
Protecting remaining woodland, scrub, forest edges and traditional agricultural landscapes is important for the species. Conservation measures should also include maintaining native flowering plants, reducing unnecessary clearance and improving knowledge of its distribution, population trend and breeding ecology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Slender Sheartail live?
It occurs in the highlands and interior valleys from Chiapas in southern Mexico through Guatemala to western Honduras and north-eastern El Salvador.
Is the Slender Sheartail migratory?
It is generally regarded as resident rather than migratory, although its local abundance can change seasonally and with flowering conditions.
What does the Slender Sheartail eat?
It feeds mainly on nectar, supplemented by small insects and spiders. The arthropods provide important protein and nutrients.
How can a male Slender Sheartail be identified?
The adult male has green upperparts, a pinkish-purple throat, pale underparts and a very long, deeply forked dark tail. It also has a long, decurved black bill and a small white spot behind the eye.
Where is a good place to see a Slender Sheartail?
Documented birdwatching locations include Finca El Pilar near Antigua Guatemala, the IMAP Bird Sanctuary near Lake Atitlán and Los Tarrales Natural Reserve in Suchitepéquez. Local guides and advance arrangements can improve the chances of finding this locally distributed species.
What is the conservation status of the Slender Sheartail?
The species is listed as Least Concern, but its population is believed to be declining because habitat is being cleared and fragmented, particularly for agriculture.
References
- BirdLife International
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Birds of the World
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