Hooded Visorbearer - Augastes lumachella

Hooded Visorbearer Augastes lumachella

Brazilian name: Beija-flor-de-gravata-vermelha

Male Hooded Visorbearer, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, October 2008 - click for larger image

Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

The Hooded Visorbearer is a Brazilian endemic found in the "campos rupestres" or montane scrub of a small area of Bahia. It is restricted altitudinally to between 900 and 2,000 metres above sea level. It feeds on nectar from cacti and flowering shrubs as well as on insects.

The most significant feature is its iridescent green "visor" which is only really noticeable when the bird is looking straight at you. This is also when you see the bright orange at the bottom of the throat showing on top of a white half-collar. This gives rise to its local Brazilian name of "gravatinho" or "little necktie".

Note also the tiny white spot behind the eye (not always visible) and the copper coloured tail feathers.

First described in 1838, it was rediscovered in 1928 by E. Kaempfer but this only became public knowledge in 1959. Classified as Near threatened by Birdlife International because it is restricted to a very small area, it is actually quite common within that area.

There are recordings on xeno-canto, a distribution map from NatureServe and additional information available via Avibase. There is a page with excellent photos on Wikiaves.

The photo of the cactus shows Micranthocereus purpureus growing on the top of the Morro do Pai Ignacio. In an article in Ciências Biológicas 3 (1/2): 131-132. 2003, Caio Machado et al explain how the nest of Hooded Visorbearer is made entirely from the cephalium hairs of this cactus.

Male Hooded Visorbearer, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, March 2004 - click for larger image

Micranthocereus purpureus, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, July 2002 - click for larger image

Back to Index

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page.