Peru Bird Species XI: Gould's Inca

Overview

IUCN conservation status: Least Concern
Geographic range: Cloud forests along the eastern Andes slopes, from southeast Peru (Cusco to Puno) to central Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba)
Elevation range: 1,600–3,200 meters (5,200–10,500 feet)

Treated as a distinct species by the IOC, Clements, and HBW.
Some authorities (e.g., the American Ornithological Society) still consider it a subspecies of the collared inca (Coeligena torquata).
Two subspecies:
- C. i. inca – Bolivia
- C. i. omissa – Peru

Size: Approximately 14.5 cm; weight between 6.8–7.2 g
Male: Velvety black head, green forehead, small white eye spot, golden-green upperparts, bronze-green central tail with white outer tail feathers, black throat, orange collar, glittering green belly, golden-green undertail with white tips
Female: Similar, but with golden-green spotting on the head, rufous collar, and spotted belly
Subspecies omissa: Bluish forehead, greener throat, darker green overall plumage

Inhabits humid montane cloud forests, particularly the understory and lower canopy
Primarily sedentary, with some local altitudinal movements
Feeding behavior: Feeds on nectar from tubular flowers through trap-lining and supplements diet with insects, captured by hawking or gleaning

Builds moss cup nests lined with fern scales, often attached to cliffside roots or under overhangs
Lays 1–2 eggs; the female incubates and cares for the chicks
Chicks fledge in about 23 days
Nesting behavior has been studied in detail in Manu National Park, Peru

Similar in appearance, but the Collared Inca has a distinctive white breast patch, unlike the orange collar of Gould’s Inca.

Source: Wikipedia

Photo: Holmes Pantoja

BACK