White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata)

White-tailed starfrontlet
Conservation status
	; Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
	CITES Appendix II
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Strisores
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Genus:	Coeligena
Species:	C. phalerata
Binomial name
	Coeligena phalerata; (Bangs, 1898)
Synonyms
	Leucuria phalerata

The white-tailed starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northeastern Colombia.^[3]^[4]

Taxonomy and systematics

The white-tailed starfrontlet and most other members of genus Coeligena were at one time placed in genus Helianthea but have been in their current placement since the mid-1900s.^[5] The species is monotypic.^[3]

Description

The white-tailed starfrontlet is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill, with the female's being somewhat longer than the male's. Both sexes have a white spot behind the eye. Both sexes also have a forked tail, but the male's is more deeply indented than the female's. Adult males have metallic dark green upperparts with a glittering turquoise crown. The entire tail is white, though the feathers when fresh have bronze tips. They have a blue gorget, mostly emerald green underparts, white leg puffs, and white undertail coverts. Adult females have a dusky blue-green crown and shining green upperparts. The tail is bronzy with pale buff tips to the feathers. Its underparts are rufous cinnamon. Immatures are similar to the adult female.^[6]

Distribution and habitat

The white-tailed starfrontlet is found only in northeast Colombia's isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It inhabits humid to wet montane forest; males prefer openings within the forest while females are more often seen at the forest edge. In elevation it ranges between 1,400 and 3,700 m (4,590 and 12,140 ft).^[6]

Behavior

Movement

Nothing is known about the white-tailed starfrontlet's movements, if any.^[6]

Feeding

The white-tailed starfrontlet feeds on nectar. Sources are known to include Fuchsia and bromeliads, though it probably feeds on a wide variety of plants like others of its genus. It is more territorial than other Coeligena but also sometimes feeds by trap-lining. In addition to feeding on nectar it captures small arthropods by gleaning from foliage and by hawking.^[6]

Breeding

The white-tailed starfrontlet's breeding season appears to span from February to April, but nothing else is known about its breeding phenology.^[6]

Songs and calls

Listen to white-tailed starfrontlet on xeno-canto

Vocalization

Only a few white-tailed starfrontlet vocalizations have been recorded. It is known to make "a high-pitched chattering 'tsee-tsee-tsi-tsi-tsirrrrr' and lower-pitched short rattles."^[6]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the white-tailed starfrontlet as being of Least Concern but since 2018 has rated it as Near Threatened. It has a very small range "where it is under threat of habitat loss and fragmentation". Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b BirdLife International. (2021). "Coeligena phalerata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T22687825A197662095. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22687825A197662095.en. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ ^a ^b Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.1. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
^ HBW and BirdLife International (2020) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 5. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB] retrieved 27 May 2021
^ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 January 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 1, 2022
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Züchner, T.; P. F. D. Boesman (2020). J. del Hoyo; A. Elliott; J. Sargatal; D. A. Christie; E. de Juana (eds.). "White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata)". Birds of the World Online. 1.0. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY. doi:10.2173/bow.whtsta1.01. Retrieved 28 April 2022.

[IUCN-1] BirdLife International. (2021). "Coeligena phalerata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T22687825A197662095. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22687825A197662095.en. Retrieved 17 December 2025.

[2] "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

[IOC12.1-3] Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.1. Retrieved January 15, 2022.

[HBW2020-4] HBW and BirdLife International (2020) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 5. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB] retrieved 27 May 2021

[SACClist-5] Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 January 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 1, 2022

[WTST-BOW-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Züchner, T.; P. F. D. Boesman (2020). J. del Hoyo; A. Elliott; J. Sargatal; D. A. Christie; E. de Juana (eds.). "White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata)". Birds of the World Online. 1.0. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY. doi:10.2173/bow.whtsta1.01. Retrieved 28 April 2022.

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