Sabrewing

Sabrewing
File:Unbekannter kolibri.png
Campylopterus largipennis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Superorder:	Strisores
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Subfamily:	Trochilinae
Tribe:	Cynanthini
Species
See text.

The Sabrewings are relatively large Neotropical hummingbirds in the genus Campylopterus and Platystylopterus. They are species of the understory and edges of forests, mostly in mountains, and often near streams. The female Sabrewing lays its two white eggs in a relatively large cup nest on a low horizontal branch, usually over a stream.

The sabrewings are very large for hummingbirds, typically 12–15 cm long. The black bill is strong and slightly decurved. The shafts of the male’s two outermost primary flight feathers are thickened, flattened and bent at an angle to give the distinctive feature which gives the sabrewings their English and scientific names (Greek καμπυλοσ kampylos, "bent", and πτερον pteron, "wing").

In some species, the male and female plumage is similar, in others, such as the Violet Sabrewing, the sexes look completely different. In several species, the three outer pairs of the tail feathers are broadly tipped white.

The food of sabrewings is nectar, taken mainly from undergrowth flowers such as Heliconia and bananas.

Species

• Genus Pampa - sabrewings (3 species)
  • Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Pampa pampa
  • Curve-winged Sabrewing, Pampa curvipennis
  • Long-tailed Sabrewing, Pampa excellens

• Genus Campylopterus – sabrewings (9 species)
  • Grey-breasted Sabrewing, Campylopterus largipennis
  • Rufous Sabrewing, Campylopterus rufus
  • Rufous-breasted Sabrewing, Campylopterus hyperythrus
  • Violet Sabrewing, Campylopterus hemileucurus
  • White-tailed Sabrewing, Campylopterus ensipennis
  • Lazuline Sabrewing, Campylopterus falcatus
  • Santa Marta Sabrewing, Campylopterus phainopeplus
  • Napo Sabrewing, Campylopterus villaviscensio
  • Buff-breasted Sabrewing, Campylopterus duidae

• Sombre Hummingbird, Campylopterus cirrochloris (by most authorities placed in the monotypic genus Aphantochroa).
• Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Campylopterus macrourus (by most authorities placed in the monotypic genus Eupetomena).

References

• A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
• ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd edition ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.  CS1 maint: Extra text (link)
• Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5. 

This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera.