Sabrewing is the common name given to hummingbirds classified in the genus Campylopterus. The group includes ten species. They are Neotropical birds that inhabit mountainous forests, generally near streams.
Sabrewings are on average 12 to 15 cm long. Although small birds, they are relatively large compared to other hummingbirds. The bill is black, strong and slightly curved. The two outer primary remiges (flight feathers) are thick and curved, giving the wings a generally curved appearance. This characteristic is the origin of the common name "sabrewing" and the generic name Campylopterus, from the Greek kampulos (curved) + pteros (wing).
The plumage of sabrewings is based on brownish-green, cinnamon, gray and combinations. Some species have additional shades of violet, particularly on the head, tail and/or throat.
Sabrewings feed on flower nectar, like most hummingbirds, with a preference for flowers of the genus Heliconia .
The genus Campylopterus was erected by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1827.[1] The type species was subsequently designated as the grey-breasted sabrewing.[2] The generic name combines the Ancient Greek kampulos meaning "curved" or "bent" and -pteros meaning "-winged".[3]
The sombre hummingbird and swallow-tailed hummingbird, formerly classified in Campylopterus, have been reclassified by most authorities into their own monotypic genera Aphantochroa and Eupetomena.
The genus contains 10 species:[4]
| Image | Name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campylopterus largipennis | Amazon rainforest | ||
| Campylopterus diamantinensis | Brazil | ||
| Campylopterus calcirupicola | Brazil | ||
| Campylopterus hyperythrus | Rufous-breasted sabrewing | Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela | |
| Campylopterus ensipennis | White-tailed sabrewing | northeastern Venezuela and Tobago | |
| Campylopterus falcatus | Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela | ||
| Campylopterus phainopeplus | Santa Marta sabrewing | Colombia | |
| Campylopterus hemileucurus | Violet sabrewing | southern Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica and western Panama | |
| Campylopterus duidae | Buff-breasted sabrewing | Brazil and Venezuela | |
| Campylopterus villaviscensio | Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru | ||