Green-tailed trainbearer

The taxonomy of the green-tailed trainbearer is not settled. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) recognizes these six subspecies: ==Description==

The male green-tailed trainbearer is long including the long tail. Females are about long including their long tail. The species weighs . It has a short, straight, black bill. Males of the nominate subspecies are almost entirely glittering emerald green; the throat is iridescent emerald green and the lower belly grayish with green dots. Its tail is long, forked, and black with green tips to the feathers. The nominate female is similar but has white underparts with glittering green spots and a shorter tail. Juveniles are similar to the adult female but the male in addition has green spots on the throat. Males of subspecies L. n. gouldii are similar to the nominate but smaller, with a shorter bill and more green on the tail. L. n. gracilis is also similar to the nominate but has a shorter and thicker bill and buffy undertail coverts with green spots. L. n. pallidiventris has a longer bill than the two subspecies above and has paler and less blue-green upperparts than the nominate. L. n. huallagae has a longer bill than pallidiventris that is still shorter than the nominate's; its plumage is somewhat bronzy green and the belly is paler than the nominate's. L. n. aureliaes plumage is rich golden bronze and it has a creamy buff belly. ==Distribution and habitat==

The six subspecies recognized by the IOC are found thus: The IOC includes Venezuela with a question mark and the Clements taxonomy notes the one old record. The green-tailed trainbearer mostly inhabits secondary woodland and brushy slopes but also occurs in Polylepis woodland and páramo. In elevation it ranges from . ==Behavior==

Movement The green-tailed trainbearer's movements have not been defined, but elevational changes after the breeding and flowering season are likely. ==Feeding==

The green-tailed trainbearer forages for nectar at low to medium heights. It has been recorded taking nectar from the flowers of Castilleja fissifolia, Cavendishia cordifolia, Rubus, Cuphea dipetala, and Palicourea angustifolia. It also feeds on insects caught on the wing and gleaned from flowers. ==Breeding==

The green-tailed trainbearer's breeding season spans from November to April. It builds a cup nest of moss and rootlets lined with soft plant material and typically places it beneath an overhang on a slope about above the slope's base. The clutch size is two eggs; the incubation and fledging times have not been recorded. Vocalization and non-vocal sound The green-tailed trainbearer's apparent song is " a repeated gravelly note 'drrrt...drrrt...' and similar variations." Its calls include a repeated "buzzy 'bzzzzt'" and an "accelerating series of high-pitched notes 'tseee...tseee...tseee..tsee-tsi-tsi'." It makes a snapping sound with its tail or wings when displaying. ==Status==

The IUCN has assessed the green-tailed trainbearer as being of Least Concern. It has a large range and its population, though of unknown size, is believed to be stable. It is locally fairly common and no immediate threats are known. However, deforestation of Polylepis woodlands, ranching, and farming are all potential threats. ==References==