Band-tailed Barbthroat (Threnetes ruckeri ventosus)

25 January 2009, Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica Males and female are similar in this species which was relatively uncommon at the feeders. I never had one to sit still long enough for a photo, so make do with this flight shot. This species is actually a kind of "Hermit" hummingbird and the males sometimes form leks in which a group gather at a site to compete with each other for females by singing. Although placed in the genus Threnetes, the validity of this genus has been questioned on genetic grounds and will probably be merged into Glaucis once ongoing biochemical work is completed. This bird looks very much like other Hermits in the genus Glaucis. This is the northernmost race, T. r. ventosis which has a brighter orange chest and belly coloration (visible here) compared to other races in South America. Panasonic DMC-LZ5 / Nikon FieldScope 3 / 30X WA hand-held (no adapter)