Introduction
The Scaled Metaltail (Metallura aeneocauda) is a small Andean hummingbird found in humid montane habitats in Peru and Bolivia. It is associated with cloud-forest edges, elfin forest, high-elevation shrubbery and rocky slopes with flowering plants. Two subspecies are generally recognised: the nominate M. a. aeneocauda and M. a. malagae.
Physical Description
The Scaled Metaltail is a compact hummingbird measuring approximately 12–13 cm in length. It has a straight, medium-length black bill, green upperparts and brownish-green underparts marked with pale feather margins that create a scaled appearance.
Adult males have a conspicuous iridescent green throat patch, or gorget, and a bronzy-green to coppery-green tail. Females are less brightly coloured, with a smaller or absent gorget, more mottled underparts and a duller tail that may show pale tips. Juveniles resemble females and generally lack the full brilliance of the adult male’s throat plumage.
The Bolivian subspecies M. a. malagae is distinguished in part by its longer bill and more reddish or bronzy tones in the tail. Field views can be brief, so the combination of the scaled underparts, green gorget in males and coppery-green tail is particularly useful.
Range and Habitat
The Scaled Metaltail occurs on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia. The nominate subspecies ranges from the Cordillera Vilcabamba and nearby areas of south-eastern Peru southwards into western and north-western Bolivia. The subspecies M. a. malagae is associated with the Yungas of central Bolivia, including the area around Inkachaka in Cochabamba Department.
It occupies humid montane forest, cloud-forest clearings, forest edges, elfin forest and adjacent shrub-covered or rocky slopes. It is usually found between about 2,500 and 3,600 metres, and is most frequent above 3,000 metres. The species is regarded as largely resident, although some movement into nearby páramo and lower montane forest may occur.
Where to See This Species
Manu Road and the upper Manu Biosphere Reserve, Cusco, Peru
The upper Manu Road is a documented birding route through high-elevation grassland, elfin forest and humid montane forest. The Scaled Metaltail has been recorded along the route, particularly in the higher sections and forest-edge habitat. The species may occur alongside other Andean hummingbirds, including the Tyrian Metaltail, so careful attention to tail colour and the scaled underparts is worthwhile.
Nearby accommodation: Cloud-forest lodges and guesthouses are available along parts of the route, while Cusco is the principal practical base for organised travel into the area.
Abra Málaga, Cusco, Peru
Abra Málaga is a recognised high-Andean birding locality on the eastern side of the Andes, where the Scaled Metaltail has been recorded in high-elevation forest and elfin-forest habitat. Look around flowering shrubs, sheltered forest edges and suitable vegetation near the pass, especially during periods of good birding activity in the dry season.
Nearby accommodation: Ollantaytambo and the wider Sacred Valley provide practical accommodation, including hotels, guesthouses and self-catering options.
Behaviour and Diet
The Scaled Metaltail feeds mainly on nectar from flowering plants and shrubs. It may hover briefly but often clings to flowers while feeding. Males defend feeding territories and can be aggressive towards other hummingbirds that enter a favoured feeding area.
Insects and other small arthropods are also important foods, providing protein and other nutrients. The species is often associated with flowering vegetation along forest edges and in open patches of elfin forest.
Detailed information about its breeding biology remains limited. Available accounts suggest that breeding activity may include May and June, but the nest, clutch size, incubation period and development of the young have not been adequately documented. The earlier assumption that these details are well established should therefore be treated with caution.
Identification Tips
- Look for a small, green hummingbird with a noticeably scaled or mottled appearance on the underparts.
- Adult males show an iridescent green gorget, while females are duller and more heavily mottled.
- The tail is generally bronzy or coppery green rather than distinctly blue, although lighting can affect its appearance.
- The straight black bill is of medium length and may appear relatively long compared with that of some nearby hummingbirds.
- The Tyrian Metaltail can occur in some of the same areas. Tail colour is useful, as the Tyrian Metaltail usually shows a bluer or more violet-toned tail, while the Scaled Metaltail tends to have a coppery-green tail and stronger scaling on the underparts.
Conservation Status
The Scaled Metaltail is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Its total population has not been quantified, and the available assessment indicates that the population may be declining.
The species has a relatively broad Andean distribution and uses more than one type of montane habitat. Nevertheless, it can be affected locally by the clearance and degradation of cloud forest and elfin forest, agricultural expansion, mining, logging and repeated burning of high-elevation vegetation. Climate change may also alter the distribution of flowering plants and the availability of suitable habitat.
Protected areas in Peru and Bolivia provide important safeguards, but maintaining connected montane forest, controlling uncontrolled fires and reducing habitat conversion remain important conservation measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Scaled Metaltail live?
The species lives in the eastern Andes of Peru and Bolivia, mainly in humid montane forest, cloud-forest edges, elfin forest and high-elevation shrubbery.
What does the Scaled Metaltail look like?
It is a small green hummingbird with scaled-looking underparts, a straight black bill and a bronzy-green or coppery-green tail. Adult males have a bright green throat patch.
How can the Scaled Metaltail be distinguished from the Tyrian Metaltail?
The Scaled Metaltail usually has more obviously scaled underparts, a longer-looking bill and a coppery-green tail. The Tyrian Metaltail generally shows a bluer or more violet-toned tail, although lighting can cause confusion.
What does the Scaled Metaltail eat?
It feeds mainly on nectar from flowering plants and shrubs, supplemented by insects and other small arthropods.
Is the Scaled Metaltail migratory?
It is considered largely resident. Some local or seasonal movement into nearby páramo and lower montane forest may occur, but it is not regarded as a long-distance migrant.
Is the Scaled Metaltail threatened?
The species is currently listed as Least Concern, although its population is thought to be declining and local threats include habitat clearance, mining, logging and repeated burning of high-elevation vegetation.
References
- BirdLife International
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- IOC World Bird List
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