Black-backed Thornbill Ramphomicron dorsale Scientific name definitions

The already small area inhabited by the endangered Black-backed Thornbill is shrinking drastically due to extensive deforestation, overgrazing, and burning. These hummingbirds are found only in the Santa Marta mountains of Colombia in humid and elfin forests, bush-filled slopes near treeline, and in páramo. They forage at all levels but spend much of their time in the canopy where they gather with other hummingbirds at flowering trees or pause to perch in the treetops. Black-backed Thornbills have very short bills and purplish-black forked tails. Males are mostly black above, while females are bronzy green above and whitish below speckled with green on the throat and sides of the body.

Santa Marta Mts, in N Colombia.

Poorly known. Calls include a short dry rattle “trrr” repeated at intervals, and a long descending rattle starting and ending with one or a few single notes “tsee-tttrrrrrrrr-tsee”. Also single “tsee” notes.

ENDANGERED. CITES II. Restricted-range species: present in Santa Marta Mountains EBA. Uncommon (1 Stotz, D. F., J. W. Fitzpatrick, T. A. Parker, and D. K. Moskovits (1996). Neotropical Birds: Ecology and Conservation. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, USA, and London, UK. Close ). Suitable habitat is severely fragmented due to deforestation, burning and over-grazing External link . Range protected by Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park.