Order
Caprimulgiformes
Family
Trochilidae
Genus
Lepidopyga
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird Lepidopyga lilliae

David Luther
Version: 1.0 — Published April 7, 2009

Conservation

IUCN status is Critically Endangered. CITES II. Restricted-range species. The species is present in the Caribbean Colombia and Venezuela Endemic Bird Area. The species is a rare endemic to northern Colombian mangrove swamps. The species occurs within two major protected areas, Isla de Salamanca National Park and Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Sanctuary. Despite many searches in the 1990s, there have been very few records within Isla de Salamanca National Park. The Corporación Sentido Natural and Fundación Colibrí are currently researching the taxonomic status and ecological requirements of this species (IUCN 2008, Wege and Long 1995).

Effects of human activity on populations

Mangrove habitat in this region has been largely reduced by construction of a coastal highway and pipeline in the 1970s, which led to the disruption of tidal flow and consequent extensive destruction of mangroves. Current threats include domestic and industrial pollution, sewage, urbanization, and mangrove deforestation. Land is currently being sold to build a large-scale port, which would be a severe threat to the species and its remaining habitat (Birdlife 2008).

Recommended Citation

Luther, D. (2009). Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird (Lepidopyga lilliae), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.sabhum1.01