El ciclo anual de una comunidad de colibríes (Trochilidae) en bosques altoandinos intactos y paramizados en la Cordillera Oriental de Colombia

Annual cycle of hummingbirds (Trochilidae) in high Andean forests and paramized areas of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia

Abstract

We classified the abundances of the species of hummingbirds in Parque Natural Municipal Ranchería,
(Boyacá) and their annual cycles of breeding, molt, fat reserves and body mass in relation to the
seasonality of flowers they visited in high Andean forest and areas where the removal of forest cover had
permitted invasion by plants of the páramo. The hummingbird community includes 16 species recorded by
captures and direct observations. In the paramized areas, Eriocnemis vestita was the most abundant and
territorial species, followed by Metallura tyrianthina and in lesser numbers by Colibri coruscans. The
most intense breeding period of the hummingbirds occurred mainly during the first months of the year,
partly coinciding with the first peak of blooming of the ornithophilous plants, while their molt was mainly
during the second peak of blooming, when they also presented their greatest fat reserves and body masses.
Species like Coeligena bonapartei, Colibri coruscans, Eriocnemis cupreoventris, E. vestita, Heliangelus
amethysticollis, Lafresnaya lafresnayi and Metallura tyrianthina use the area of the park both for breeding
and molting. The remaining species are seasonal or occasional in the area.