Photo: Andres Cuervo / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Perija Metaltail
Metallura iracunda
Perija Metaltail (Metallura iracunda) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Perija Metaltail (Metallura iracunda) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Metallura
- Species iracunda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.9 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Perija Metaltail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Perija Metaltail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Perija Metaltail (Metallura iracunda) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Colombia and Venezuela.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 4.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1,651 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Perija Metaltail?
The Perija Metaltail is a very small bird that weighs around 3.9 g.
Where does the Perija Metaltail live?
The Perija Metaltail is found across South America with a range covering SA n Colombia and Venezuela, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Perija Metaltail belong to?
The Perija Metaltail (Metallura iracunda) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Perija Metaltail eat?
The Perija Metaltail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Perija Metaltail migrate?
The Perija Metaltail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Perija Metaltail endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Perija Metaltail make?
1 real field recording of the Perija Metaltail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Perija Metaltail's range?
The Perija Metaltail has a mapped global range of about 1,651 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Trochilidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Least Concern
More in Hummingbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.