Brown inca
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Coeligena wilsoni

The brown inca (Coeligena wilsoni ) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

Appearance

The brown inca is about 11 to 13 cm (4.3 to 5.1 in) long. Males weigh about 7.0 g (0.25 oz) and females about 6.5 g (0.23 oz). Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill and a white spot behind the eye. Adult males' upperparts are reddish bronze with a greenish olive lower back and a bronzy forked tail. Their underparts are mostly dull brown with an amethyst gorget and a white patch on each side of the breast. Adult females are essentially the same as males but for a longer bill, a smaller gorget, and a less forked tail. Immatures resemble the adult female.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

The brown inca is found on the Pacific slope of the Andes from Colombia's Chocó Department south through Ecuador all the way to Loja Province. It most commonly inhabits the edges of cloudforest and is also found in the forest interior. In elevation it generally ranges from 700 to 1,900 m (2,300 to 6,200 ft). However, it is most common below 1,300 m (4,300 ft)and has been recorded as high as 2,400 m (7,900 ft).

Brown inca habitat map

Biome

Brown inca habitat map
Brown inca
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Habits and Lifestyle

The brown inca probably makes some seasonal movements but little data are available.

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

The brown inca forages for nectar by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of a wide variety of flowering plants low in the forest understory. Examples include genera Psammisia, Macleania, Cavendishia, and Fuchsia. In addition to feeding on nectar it gleans small arthropods from vegetation and sometimes captures them by hawking.

Mating Habits

The brown inca's breeding season spans from January to June. It builds a cup nest of moss and plant fibers, typically 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) above ground in a fork of a small tree. The female alone incubates the clutch of two eggs for 15 to 16 days; fledging occurs 22 to 26 days after hatch.

Population

Population number

The IUCN has assessed the brown inca as being of Least Concern, though its population size is unknown and believed to be decreasing. It is regarded as uncommon to locally common. Its habitat is under threat by deforestation and it is not known if the species accepts human-altered landscapes. It does occur in several protected areas.

References

1. Brown inca Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_inca
2. Brown inca on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22687810/93170539
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/275268

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