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Booted racket-tails are striking little hummingbirds; the long tails of adult males make them resemble large moths followed by two small moths as they fly about (females lack the dramatic tail streamers). These were photographed in the Western Andes above Cali, Colombia. Birds in the northern part of their range (Ocreatus underwoodii underwoodii) have strikingly large white 'boots', while farther south in Peru (O. u. peruanus) the 'boots' are smaller and buff-colored (see this page). Possibly these are different species. In both regions they're very fond of the Verbena blossoms visible in these images. |
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