Introduction
The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird (Hylonympha macrocerca) is a Venezuelan endemic and the only species in the genus Hylonympha. It is restricted to the humid montane forests of the Paria Peninsula in north-eastern Venezuela, where its unusually long, deeply forked tail makes it one of the country’s most distinctive hummingbirds.
Physical Description
The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird, reaching approximately 19 cm in total length, although much of this length is provided by the male’s elongated tail. Males are larger and have a spectacularly long, deeply forked tail that is blackish purple or steel-black and may extend to roughly half of the bird’s total length.
The adult male has a dark metallic green back, a glittering violet forehead and crown, an emerald-green throat and breast, and darker green to blackish underparts. The bill is long, black and slightly decurved.
Females have a much shorter and less dramatically forked tail. They are dark green above, with a whitish throat and breast marked with green, and rufous or chestnut colouring on the belly and undertail coverts. The contrast between the male’s extreme tail length and the female’s shorter tail is the species’ most obvious example of sexual dimorphism. Juvenile and immature birds are less well documented, but they generally lack the full brilliance and tail development of adult males.
Range and Habitat
The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird is endemic to Venezuela and has one of the most restricted distributions of any Venezuelan bird. Its known range is centred on the Paria Peninsula in Sucre state, including the mountain sectors around Cerros Humo, Patao, El Olvido and Azul.
It inhabits humid subtropical and tropical montane forest, especially cloud forest with moss-covered trees and abundant flowering plants. It may also occur along forest edges and in small clearings containing plants such as bromeliads, Heliconia and Costus. The species is generally associated with elevations of approximately 500 to 1,200 metres, with many records concentrated in the higher cloud-forest zone.
The species is non-migratory as far as current evidence indicates. Its small, fragmented range makes the maintenance of connected montane forest particularly important.
Where to See This Species
Península de Paria National Park, Sucre, Venezuela
Península de Paria National Park protects much of the species’ known montane habitat. The Cerro Humo sector is a documented location where the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird can be sought in cloud forest, forest edges and flowering bromeliad-rich areas. Sightings are not guaranteed, and access may require local advice, suitable transport and a physically demanding walk on steep terrain.
Nearby accommodation: Río Caribe is a practical gateway town with hotels, guest houses and small lodgings. Other accommodation options are available in settlements around the Paria Peninsula, but visitors should confirm current access and services locally before travelling.
Behaviour and Diet
The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird feeds mainly on nectar from flowering plants in montane forest. Bromeliads are important food plants, and the species may also visit Heliconia, Costus and other nectar-producing plants in forest clearings and secondary growth.
Like other hummingbirds, it can hover while feeding and also takes small insects and spiders, which provide protein and other nutrients. Individuals may defend productive flowers or feeding areas against other hummingbirds, using rapid chases and aerial manoeuvres. The male’s long tail is likely to feature in courtship displays, although detailed observations of its breeding behaviour remain limited.
Reliable species-specific information about nesting dates, clutch size and incubation is scarce. As in other hummingbirds, the female is expected to undertake nest construction and incubation, but detailed claims about the nest, eggs and fledging period should be treated cautiously unless supported by direct field observations.
Identification Tips
- Look for a dark green hummingbird with a very long, deeply forked tail, especially in an adult male.
- Adult males show a violet forehead and crown, an emerald-green throat and breast, and blackish-purple tail feathers.
- Females have a much shorter tail, a whitish and green-spotted throat and breast, and rufous or chestnut underparts.
- The long, slightly decurved black bill is visible at close range.
- The species is most likely to be confused with other large Venezuelan hummingbirds in poor light, but the adult male’s extreme tail length is usually diagnostic. Female identification is more difficult and should be based on the combination of range, habitat, plumage and tail pattern.
Conservation Status
The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its restricted distribution and dependence on montane forest make it vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Important threats include forest clearance for agriculture, expansion of small farms, logging and continuing degradation within and around protected areas. Climate change may also affect the cloud-forest conditions and flowering resources on which the species depends. Península de Paria National Park provides important legal protection, but effective conservation also requires adequate management, enforcement, habitat restoration and further surveys to clarify the species’ distribution and population trend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird live?
It is endemic to Venezuela and is restricted mainly to the Paria Peninsula in Sucre state, particularly the montane forests around Cerros Humo, Patao, El Olvido and Azul.
What does the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird look like?
The male is dark metallic green with a violet crown, an emerald throat and breast, and an exceptionally long blackish-purple forked tail. The female has a shorter tail, a whitish and green-marked breast, and rufous underparts.
How long is a Scissor-tailed Hummingbird?
An adult male can reach approximately 19 cm in total length, including the elongated tail. Females are shorter because their tails are much less developed.
What does the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird eat?
It feeds mainly on nectar from bromeliads and other montane flowers, including Heliconia and Costus. It also takes small insects and spiders.
Can the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird be seen in a national park?
Yes. Península de Paria National Park protects much of its known habitat, and the Cerro Humo sector is a documented place to look for the species in cloud forest and flowering forest edges.
Is the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird endangered?
Yes. The species is classified as Endangered because of its very restricted range and the continuing loss and degradation of montane forest habitat.
References
- BirdLife International
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Provita and Fundación Empresas Polar
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