Hummingbirds Eclectus :';OIne lesserknownfacts by Anthony J. Mobbs Parrots English Aviculturist The family Trochilidae is extremely bird feeding tubes were available and, diverse. Such attributes as plumage each time the bird fed, its tongue •Grand differences (some species are rather would be forced against the back of drab coloured whereas others have the tube. Over a period of three to ·Vosmaeri spectacular iridescent plumage four weeks the bird's tongue became and/or ornamentation) is well docu­ bruised and eventually the swordbill •Red sided mented. However, certain attributes ceased to feed regularly and shortly are not so well known and it is my afterwards succumbed. I believe a • Young. weaned. unrelated pairs intention to discuss some of these special feeder has now been pro­ • Occasional older pairs lesser known facts. duced (in West Germany) which has and singles As I shall mention whether or not the spout in the base of the feeder. certain species under discussion can This would enable a swordbill to feed • Will buy and trade be established in captivity, I feel I in a more natural manner without the For price list and availability: should explain exactly what I mean tongue touching any part of the by this. In my opinion a hummingbird feeder. Whether or not this has enabled a specimen to be established, call cannot be considered established (415) 372-6174 until it has undergone at least one full I am unable to ascertain. orsend SASE to: moult in captivity. The true character Due to the length ofbill, the sword­ of a species often does not become bill is unable to preen in the usual Laurella Desborough apparent until it has been fully manner. Instead, the long claws are P.O. Box373112 moulted. Once the moult is com­ used for preening all but the tail and Concord. California 94527 pleted, many species which, up until primaries. Because of this, the legs then, have proven docile, may are longer and have more maneuvera­ become extremely aggressive and bility than those of most humming­ remain so for the remainder of their birds. Although the beak is used for interested in lives. Certain species which have not preening the tail and primaries, the been heard to sing will, after the bird is unable to preen each feather something crucial first moult, become vocal. individually and the feathers can only Furthermore, many species, once be run through the centre ofthe beak. different? " established, may perform sexual It is amazing how well the bird's displays hitherto not seen. legs and feet are adapted for such Not all species alter so dramatically work. Many species of hummingbirds after the first moult; indeed many use their claws for preening areas easily managed hummingbirds, once which cannot be reached with the they have settled into their quarters, beak, but no other species is able to will be heard to sing regularly and preen the centre of the back and the many will often display. Even so, the vent feathers as does the swordbill. join the true character of such species may The purple-backed thornbill (Ram­ become more pronounced after the phomicron microrhynchum) has the International first full moult in captivity. smallest beak of any hummingbird. It Beak Differences is a truly fantastic species, having Softbill Society The swordbill hummingbird (Ensif­ great character, exceptional beauty Dedicated to the dissemination of infor­ era ensifera) is unique not only and an unusual shape. Having large mation concerning softbilled birds among because it has the longest beak of any feet and claws and such a tiny beak, it interested persons worldwide and to pro­ hummingbird but also because, in is obvious that in the wild the species mote the establishment of captive self­ relation to its body size, it has the usually clings to the blooms from sustaining populations of such birds through effective husbandry and man­ longest beak of any bird. which it feeds. Those I have owned agement practices. It can be classified as an extremely were never seen to hover for nectar Membership in the International Softbill difficult species to establish in captiv­ and I always ensured they had a Society is open to anyone with an interest ity and, as far as I am aware, no one feeder placed next to a perch. The in softbills. Individual membership Is $20. Foreign membership (outside has ever succeeded. In the wild the species is reasonably easy to establish U.S.A.) add $5 (total $25) in U.S. funds. species feeds almost exclusively on and one male I owned was with me Wrote to Steve Amos, treasurer, RFD 2, the flowers of Datura species, which for three and a half years before it Box 113 Glover, Vermont 05839. Mem­ are long and trumpet shaped. rec~ive eventually died, presumably from old bers our informative publication, When I attempted to establish a The Honeycreeper. age. specimen, only the usual humming- Worthy of mention is the method 26 June / July 1989 of feather replacement in this species majority ofPhaethornis (hermits) can in that, during the annual moult, the be sexed in the same way. A further loss of old feathers (around the head aid to sexing many of the hermits is and gorget mainly) occurs only after by the length of tail as the two the feather follicle has been activated elongated feathers are shorter in the 1fumming6irtfs and the new feather is growing. This males. To use such methods would causes the moulting bird to take on a require comparison between a andotlier most bizarre appearance, with the old number of birds of the same species. nectar eaters feathers sometimes covering the eyes Nevertheless, it is worth the effort if completely before they are eventually one wishes to obtain true pairs. shed. This type of feather replacement Eclipse Plumage occurs also in the Rivoli humming­ It is well known that in certain bird (Eugenes fulgens) and the species of sunbirds the males have a violet-fronted brilliant (Heliodoxa non-breeding dress or eclipse leadbeateri). It should be mentioned plumage. What is not so well known that this peculiarity is found only in is that the males of five species of the males. hummingbirds also go through a The speckled hummingbird (Adelo­ period when they too have a non­ myia melanegenys) and the piedtail breeding dress. (Phlogophilus hemileucurus) are two From my experience, none appear for species more species which prefer to feed to remain in eclipse plumage for more avai1a6ifity while perched. Both are rather than a few weeks each year. Why they sombre coloured but have much char­ should have a non-breeding plumage, contact: acter and are excellent additions to a especially as it is retained for such a collection. An attribute worthy of short period (usually six to eight o/a[ Crear mention is the ability of both species weeks), certainly requires further 1001 =Martin tJJrive to actually walk (and run) on the study. ground without appearing in any way Two of the starthroats (Helio­ .9Lnderson, Indiana 46012 awkward. In the United Kingdom the master) exhibit this phenomenon, speckled is imported fairly regularly; namely the stripe-breasted (H. (317) 642-0795 the piedtail is very rarely brought in. squamosus) and the blue-tufted (H. Perhaps the most bizarre beak of all furcifer). The latter is extremely rare is that of the sicklebill (Eutoxeres). in captivity and only two people Due to the extreme curvature, these appear to have owned the species in birds have difficulty in feeding from a the United Kingdom. I can find no Bird and Wildlife conventional style feeder. After records of the species having been TOUR OF PERU numerous experiments I found that a kept in the States. with Jerry Jennings feeding tube designed for sunbirds Ruschi (in Beija Flores, 1973) states Departs early October 1989 (with the spout tilting upwards at an that the blue-tufted "loses all its Visit the land of the Incas and agle of 45 0 and with a larger bore iridescent plumage, becoming very home to more species of birds than that for hummingbirds) was much like a female in appearance:' If (over 1,800) than any other country. ideal. If a conventional hummingbird this were correct, then the blue­ See 7 species of macaws, over 30 species of parrots, 8 species of toucans, 2 species of feeder is used, each time the sicklebill tufted would be unique among hum­ storks (including the endangered Jabiru), feeds, the upper mandible is forced mingbirds which have a non-breeding Andean cocks of the rock, tanagers, manni­ against the inside of the spout. This dress, as it would require an almost kins and other softbills as well as hoatzins, continual friction causes a callus to total moult to go out of colour so waterfowl, egrets, spoonbills and many more. form. Unless a more suitable feeder is completely - a transformation no We'll see 2 species of caiman (crocodiles) 15 feet long, tapir, jaguars, ocelots, endan­ supplied, the callus will continue to other species appears to undergo. gered giant otter (less than 100 left in the develop and eventually the bird will The stripe-breasted starthroat, wild), a dozen species of primates and many cease to feed. Even after a callus has when in eclipse plumage, has the other mammals. formed, if a suitable feeder is sup­ crimson gorget replaced with feathers Tour will visit major sites: Lima, Pizzaro's capitol of "New Spain"; Cuzco, ancient plied the callus will quickly reduce in which are blackish edged with white. imperial capitol of the Incas; and Machu size and eventually slough. The glittering crown is replaced with Picchu, "lostancient mountain city fortress of Unfortunately this most interesting dull grey with the remainder of the the Incas.