Fork-tailed Woodnymph Thalurania furcata

Brazilian name: beija-flor-tesoura-verde
Male Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Cristalino Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil, December 2006 - click for larger image Brazil

The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is found east of the Andes from north east Venezuela to northern Argentina but is missing from the extreme south of Brazil.

It likes forest and forest edge habitat and is also found in semi-open areas and gardens. It feeds on both nectar and insects.

The bill is black and medium sized but it is variously described as "straight", "essentially straight" or "slightly decurved". This may be a function of the differences between subspecies of which there are 13.

Male Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Iracema Falls, Amazonas, Brazil, July 2001 - click for larger image Photo 1 is probably the sub-species T. f. baeri though it might be an intergradation between that race and T. f. balzani. The white crissum is very noticeable in this photo.

Photo 2 is probably the nominate sub-species though the use of flash distorts the colours.

The male has a glittering green throat with violet across the belly and in a narrow band across the back of the neck. Otherwise it is bronzy green above and it has white on its thighs and undertail coverts.
Male Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Chapada Diamantina, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger image

The female, seen here in photos 4 and 5, is pale grey below and has white tips on the outer three tail feathers.

There are illustrations in HBW, Volume 5, Page 584; Hilty & Brown, Plate 14; and Ridgely & Greenfield, Plate 44.

There are recordings and a distribution map on xeno-canto.
Female Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Carajás, Pará, Brazil, October 2005 - click for larger image
Female Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Carajás, Pará, Brazil, October 2005 - click for larger image
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