Horned sungem: Difference between revisions

{{GoodFeatured article}}

The '''horned sungem''' ('''''Heliactin bilophus''''') is a [[species]] of [[hummingbird]] native to much of central [[Brazil]] and parts of [[Bolivia]] and [[Suriname]]. It prefers open habitats such as [[savanna]] and [[grassland]] and readily occupies human-created habitats such as gardens. It recently expanded its range into southern [[Amazonas (Brazilian state)|Amazonas]] and [[Espírito Santo]], probably as a result of [[deforestation]]; few other hummingbird species have recently expanded their range. The horned sungem is a small hummingbird with a long tail and a comparatively short, black [[beak|bill]]. The [[sexual dimorphism|sexes differ markedly in appearance]], with males sporting two feather tufts ("horns") above the eyes that are shiny red, golden, and green. Males also have a shiny blue head [[Crest (feathers)|crest]] and a black throat with a pointed "beard". The female is plainer and has a brown or yellow-[[Buff (colour)|buff]] throat. ItThe species is the only speciesone within its genus, '''''Heliactin'''''. It was also discovered by dr. freeman

The horned sungem is a nomadic species, moving between areas in response to the seasonal flowering of the plants on which it feeds. It relies on a broad variety of flowering plants for nectar. If the shape of the flower is incompatible with the bird's comparatively short bill, it may [[nectar robbing|rob the nectar]] through a little hole at the base of the flower. The sungem maydoes also consume small insects. Only the female builds the nest, [[Egg incubation|incubates]] the eggs, and rears the chicks. She lays two white eggs in a small [[cup nest]] which are incubated for about 13 days. The chicks are naked and black after hatching, and [[fledge|can fly]] afterwhen 20 to 22 days old. The horned sungem has been reported to readily defend territories both against members of its own species and against subordinate hummingbird species. The species is currently classified as [[Least-concern species|least concern]] by the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]], and its population is thought to be increasing.

The horned sungem was named as ''Trochilus bilophus'' in 1820 by the Dutch zoologist [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck]]. This 1820 account only consisted of a figure plate illustrating a male specimen that was collected in 1816 by the German naturalist [[Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied]] in [[Campos Gerais]], Brazil. In the [[species description|description]] of the new species that followed a few years later, Temminck and colleagues argued that the discovery of this species should be attributed to Wied-Neuwied, who was amongst the first travelers to bring specimens to Europe.<ref name="Temminck">{{cite book|last1=Temminck |first1= C.J.|last2=Laugier de Chartrouse |first2=G.M.J.M. |year=1821–1838 |title=Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon, édition in-folio et in-4° de l'Imprimerie nationale, 1770 |place=Levrault, Paris| volume=IV |number= 362–480 |pages=83–84 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.51468 |language=French}}{{BHL page|35465192 |pl.&nbsp;18 fig.3}}, {{BHL page|35465195 |text}}</ref><ref name="leiden"/> In 1821, Wied-Neuwied published his own description of the species, which he named ''T.{{nbsp}}cornutus'',<ref name="wiedneuwied">{{cite book|last=Wied-Neuwied |first= M.| year=1821|title=Reise nach Brasilien in den Jahren 1815 bis 1817|trans-title=Journey to Brazil in the years 1815 and 1817|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45440021| page=190|place=Frankfurt am Main |publisher=H.L. Brönner |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.85967|language=German|access-date=2024-02-19|archive-date=2023-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106175349/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45440021|url-status=live}}</ref> but Temminck's name ''bilophus'' has [[Principle of priority|priority]] as it was published one year earlier.<ref name=HOSU-BOW>{{cite journal |url=https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.horsun2.01 |title=Horned Sungem (''Heliactin bilophus'') |last1=Schuchmann |first1=K.L. |last2=Kirwan |first2=G. M. |last3=Boesman |first3=P. F. D. |editor-first1=Josep |editor-first2=Andrew |editor-first3=Jordi |editor-first4=David |editor-first5=Eduardo |editor-last1=Del Hoyo |editor-last2=Elliott |editor-last3=Sargatal |editor-last4=Christie |editor-last5=De Juana |date=December 15, 2021 |journal=Birds of the World |publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology |doi=10.2173/bow.horsun2.01 |s2cid=242933406 |access-date=February 16, 2024 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216080926/https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/horsun2/1.0/introduction |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1831, the German zoologist [[Friedrich Boie]] classified the horned sungem within the new genus ''Heliactin'', as ''Heliactin bilophus'', together with three other hummingbird species. Today, the horned sungem is recognized as the only member of ''Heliactin''.<ref name=IOC>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/ |title=IOC World Bird List (v 14.1) |last1=Gill |first1=F. |last2=Donsker |first2=D. |last3=Rasmussen |first3=P. |date=July 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2024 |archive-date=October 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004142729/http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1921, the French naturalist [[Eugène Simon]] mistakenly assumed that Temminck's figure plate was published in 1824 instead of in 1820, and consequently considered Wied-Neuwied's name ''cornutus'' as the valid one, which was followed in most subsequent publications of the 20th century. Even though this mistake was pointed out in 1999, some ornithologists felt that Temminck's name ''bilophus'' had become a ''{{lang|la|[[nomen oblitum]]''}} ({{gloss|mode=def|forgotten name)}} and continued to use the established ''H.{{nbsp}}cornutus''.<ref name="Restall2006">{{cite book |last1=Restall |first1=R.L. |last2=Rodner |first2=C. |last3=Lentino |first3=M. |title=Birds of northern South America: an identification guide |date=2006 |publisher=Christopher Helm |location=London |isbn=978-0-7136-7242-8}}</ref><ref name=SACClist/> The specimen originally illustrated by Temminck in 1820, now considered as the [[Holotype|type specimen]] of the species, is part of the collection of the [[Naturalis Biodiversity Center]] in [[Leiden]].<ref name="leiden">{{Cite journal| doi = 10.3897/zookeys.1155.98097| issn = 1313-2970| page = 41| last1 = van der Mije| first1 = S.D.| last2 = Kamminga| first2 = P.| last3 = Dekker| first3 = R.W.R.J.| title = Type specimens of non-passerines in Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Animalia, Aves)| journal = ZooKeys| date = 2023| issue = 1155| doi-access = free| pmid = 38059051| pmc = 10696600| bibcode = 2023ZooK.1155....1V| url = https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/98097/| access-date = 2024-01-31| archive-date = 2024-01-31| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240131223130/https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/98097/| url-status = live}}</ref>

The [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Heliactin'' derives from the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] words ''{{transl|grc|helios''}} meaning "{{gloss|sun"}} and ''{{transl|grc|aktin''}} meaning "{{gloss|sunbeam"}}, while the [[specific epithet]] ''bilophus'' derives from the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''{{lang|la|bi''}} meaning "{{gloss|two" or, "double"}} and the Greek ''{{transliteration|grc|lophos''}} meaning "{{gloss|crest"}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jobling |first=J.A. |title=Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names |publisher=[[Christopher Helm Publishers|Christopher Helm]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 |location=London |pages=72, 187 |language=en |oclc=1040808348 |url=https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n273/mode/2up}}</ref> ''Bilophus'', rather than ''bilopha'' or ''bilophum'', is correct despite the mismatch between its apparently [[Masculine and feminine endings|masculine ending]] and the feminine one of the genus.<ref name=SACClist>{{cite web |url=https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline03.htm |title=A classification of the bird species of South America. Part 3. Apodiformes |last1=Remsen |first1=J.V. Jr. |last2=Areta |first2=J.I. |last3=Bonaccorso |first3=E. |last4=Claramunt |first4=S. |last5=Jaramillo |first5=A. |last6=Lane |first6=D.F. |last7=Pacheco |first7=J.F. |last8=Robbins |first8=M.B. |last9=Stiles |first9=F.G. |last10=Zimmer |first10=K.J. |date=2021 |publisher=American Ornithological Society |access-date=January 28, 2024 |archive-date=September 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925032403/https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline03.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> "Horned sungem" is the official English [[common name]] designated by the [[International Ornithologists' Union]] (IOU).<ref name="IOC"/> The species is also known simply as the "sungem".<ref name="avibase">{{cite web |title=''Heliactin bilophus'' (Horned Sungem) |url=https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=00B132B43E16AA64 |website=[[Avibase]] |access-date=29 January 2024 |archive-date=29 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129232616/https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=00B132B43E16AA64 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Within the Trochilidae (the hummingbird family), the horned sungem is a member of the subfamily [[Polytminae]], which is also referred to as the "mangoes".<ref name="avibase"/> The Polytminae comprises 27 species in 12 genera and is thought to have originated around 18 {{nbsp}}million years ago. [[Molecular phylogenetics|Genetic analyses]] show that this subfamily can be sub-divided into three groups: the ''[[Colibri (genus)|Colibri]]''-, ''[[Heliothryx]]''-, and ''[[Anthracothorax]]''-groups. The latter two groups are mostly found in tropical lowland, while the ''Colibri'' group is found in mountainous areas. The horned sungem belongs to the ''Heliothryx'' group, together with the [[tooth-billed hummingbird]], the [[black-eared fairy]], and the [[purple-crowned fairy]].<ref name="remsen2015"/><ref name="McGuire2014">{{Cite journal| volume = 24| issue = 8| pages = 910–916| last1 = McGuire| first1 = J.A.| last2 = Witt| first2 = C.C.| last3 = Remsen| first3 = J.V.| last4 = Corl| first4 = Ammon| last5 = Rabosky| first5 = D.L.| last6 = Altshuler| first6 = D.L.| last7 = Dudley| first7 = R.| title = Molecular phylogenetics and the diversification of hummingbirds| journal = Current Biology| date = 2014| url = https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(14)00275-9.pdf| doi = 10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.016| pmid = 24704078| bibcode = 2014CBio...24..910M| access-date = 2024-02-08| archive-date = 2024-02-08| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240208004901/https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(14)00275-9.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref>

The horned sungem is a small hummingbird with a long tail, measuring {{convertcvt|9.5|to|11|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and weighing {{convertcvt|1.8|to|2.8|g|oz|2|abbr=on}}. Both the male and female are light-colored with a metallic yellow-green upperside and a white underside. The sides of the neck are also white, giving the impression of a half-collar. The flight feathers are black-brown, and the bill and feet are black. The bill is slender, straight, and comparatively short, measuring {{convertcvt|1.6|cm|abbr=on}} in length. The tail feathers are pointed, and the middle four tail feathers are much longer than the outer ones. The middle two tail feathers are [[Buff (colour)|buff]] in the male and green in the female, and the remaining tail feathers are mostly white. The upper part of the tail, when viewed from below, shows a black band that forms a V-shape.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name="Fogden">{{cite book |title=Hummingbirds – a Guide to Every Species |last1=Fogden |first1=M. |last2=Taylor |first2=M. |last3=Williamson |first3=S.L. |date=2014 |publisher=Ivy Press |location=Lewes |isbn=978-1-78240-089-9 |page=70}}</ref><ref name="suriname"/><ref name="birdsofbrazil" /><ref name="Restall2006"/>

The horned sungem is unlikely to be mistaken for any other species in its range. The female, even though it lacks the unique adornments of the male, can be identified by its yellow-green upperside, its white underside, and its long tail.<ref name="suriname">{{cite book |last1=Spaans |first1=A.L. |last2=Ottema |first2=O.H. |last3=Ribot |first3=J.H.J.M. |last4=van Perlo |first4=B. |title=Field Guide to the Birds of Suriname |date=2018 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden Boston |isbn=978-90-04-35231-5 |edition=Revised and updated second|page=228|doi=10.1163/9789004352339|s2cid=130294835 }}</ref> The female is somewhat similar to the female [[black-eared fairy]], but is distinguished from the latter by its more yellowish upperside, its more extensive white neck collar, and the shape and coloration of its tail.<ref name="birdsofbrazil">{{cite book |last1=van Perlo |first1=B. |title=A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil |date=2009 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford, New York |doi=10.1093/oso/9780195301540.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-530155-7 |pages=465}}</ref>

In flight, the horned sungem gives an intricate series of high-pitched sounds. Other [[Bird vocalization|calls]] have been described as "tsit", "tseet", or "chup", and are given repeatedly.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name="atlantic_forest">{{cite book |last1=Ridgely |first1=R.S. |last2=Gwynne |first2=J.A. |last3=Guy |first3=T. |last4=Argel |first4=M. |title=Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil: The Atlantic Forest of Southeast Brazil, Including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: Volume 2 |date=2016 |location=Ithaca |publisher=Comstock Publishing |isbn=978-1-5017-0453-6 |page=188}}</ref>

The horned sungem is found across much of central [[Wildlife of Brazil|Brazil]], in the east from southern [[Maranhão]] south to the north of the [[São Paulo (state)|State of São Paulo]] and then west to western [[Mato Grosso]] and into Bolivia's [[Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia)|Santa Cruz]] department.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> It has recently expanded its range into southern [[Amazonas (Brazilian state)|Amazonas]] and [[Espírito Santo]], probably as a result of [[deforestation]] and its ability to adopt open landscapes created by humans.<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=HOSU-BOW/> It is also found in a small area of southern Suriname and in another small area in the northern Brazilian state of [[Amapá]], and has been reported outside of its normal range in [[Acre (state)|Acre]] in far western Brazil.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> A possible presence in the state of [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]] has still to be confirmed.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> Its total range is estimated to encompass {{convertcvt|6490000|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=IUCN/> The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers the species to be uncommon,<ref name=IUCN/> though some other sources have described it as "locally common"<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> or "common".<ref name="Fogden"/>

It inhabits a variety of semi-open to open habitats including dry and moist forests, [[savanna]]s including the [[Cerrado]] and [[Caatinga]], [[grassland]]s, and cultivated areas such as gardens.<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name="robber"/> Though it is mostly found below {{convertcvt|500|m|ft|abbr=on}} of elevation, it occurs as high as {{convertcvt|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/>

All hummingbirds are mostly [[Nectarivore|nectarivorous]] (feeding on the nectar of blossoms), and are important [[pollinator]]s as they transport [[pollen]] from blossom to blossom.<ref name="BOW_humm">{{Cite journal| doi = 10.2173/bow.trochi1.01| issn = 2771-3105| last1 = Winkler| first1 = D.W.| last2 = Billerman| first2 = S.M.| last3 = Lovette| first3 = I.J.| title = Hummingbirds (Trochilidae), version 1.0| journal = Birds of the World| access-date = 2024-02-07| date = 2020| url = https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/trochi1/cur/introduction?login| url-access = subscription| archive-date = 2024-02-16| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240216082702/https://secure.birds.cornell.edu/cassso/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fbirdsoftheworld.org%2Flogin%2Fcas| url-status = live}}</ref> The horned sungem feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, such as '' [[Palicoure rigida]]'', ''[[Bauhinia tenella]]'', ''[[Cuphea linarioides]]'', ''[[Zeyheria montana]]'', and ''[[Calliandra sincorana]]''.<ref name="robber"/><ref name=HOSU-BOW/> It usually feeds alone and prefers blossoms that are close to the ground.<ref name="Restall2006"/><ref name="atlantic_forest"/> A 2014 study reported that in the studied Cerrado area in [[Bahia]], the horned sungem visited more plant species than any of the other resident hummingbird species (9 out of 11 plant species for which hummingbird visits were recorded). These plants include three species (''[[Dyckia dissitiflora]]'', ''[[Sida angustissima]]'', and [[Lippia gracilis|''Lippia'' cf. ''gracilis'']]) that were not visited by any of the other hummingbird species.<ref name="machado_2014">{{Cite journal| volume = 30| issue = 5| pages = 1578–1587| last = Machado| first = C.G.| title = A comunidade de beija-flores e as plantas que visitam em uma área de cerrado ralo da Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brasil| trans-title = The hummingbird community and the plants which they visit at a savannah in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil.| journal = Bioscience Journal| date = 2014| language = Portuguese| url = https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2018/10/946714/a-comunidade-de-beija-flores-e-as-plantas-que-visitam-em-uma-ar_tv44f15.pdf| access-date = 2024-02-19| archive-date = 2024-02-18| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240218013742/https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2018/10/946714/a-comunidade-de-beija-flores-e-as-plantas-que-visitam-em-uma-ar_tv44f15.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref> The sungem also catches small insects in flight, and possibly from vegetation.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/>

When the shape of a flower is incompatible with their bills, some hummingbirds may become [[nectar robbing|nectar robbers]] by piercing the base of the flower's [[Petal|corolla]] to access the nectar, without contributing to pollination.<ref name="jewels">{{cite book |last1=Bartley |first1=G. |last2=Swash |first2=A. |last3=Melchels |first3=J. |title=Hummingbirds: A Celebration of Nature's Jewels |date=2022 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, New Jersey |isbn=978-0-691-18212-4 |pages=40, 167}}</ref> Hummingbirds of the ''Colibri'' and ''Heliothryx'' groups, to which the horned sungem belongs, have bill tips that are flattened laterally (sideways) to a stronger degree than in any other hummingbird species. This bill shape, which has also been termed a "[[stiletto]]-shape", is probably an adaptation for piercing flowers for nectar robbing. The "stiletto-shape" is pronounced in the horned sungem, although to a lesser degree than in some related hummingbirds such as [[Geoffroy's daggerbill]], which is named after this feature.<ref name="remsen2015">{{Cite journal| volume = 3957| issue = 1| pages = 143–150| last1 = Remsen Jr| first1 = J.V.| last2 = Stiles| first2 = F.G.| last3 = Mcguire| first3 = J.A.| title = Classification of the Polytminae (Aves: Trochilidae)| journal = Zootaxa| date = 2015| url = https://www.academia.edu/download/67353322/Classification_of_the_Polytminae_Aves_T20210517-4791-uyulr.pdf| doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.3957.1.13| pmid = 26249062| access-date = 2024-02-08| archive-date = 2024-02-16| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240216080819/https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/67353322/Classification_of_the_Polytminae_Aves_T20210517-4791-uyulr.pdf?1621295313=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3Dstrong_Classification_of_the_Polytminae.pdf&Expires=1708074498&Signature=KUi6jABiICiHpfHxL-ozSJTiFIpkCze0k0ovp8zWVoSC-PXDteXJO5MYI2FCvddTiD6jcjhNmYIisKvXhwfOsgrdt6orwXI7qRrAcvWLHdnjxVk1PitKSouPlXJk~7HoZy7z~XdSmxbTpCgNYiunPCjBuj347QUBaip0FvXeGBBYzxz~PPVsGeP~Vd9GUdYT14elxOoh5jyrhLpKTYTb0GSTg7~8Mdh3DKlzuhrerRsuLm-Y3-d5g8cIBBrgAzcXfrh1GmlTYPHsN8c-FFKmmuGpvUNK7ovJV6iGo3kWX8qOyKjCPuuQh7wZl9~EpzAjB~l~6ZEm1MYpOldpWtICMw__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA| url-status = live}}</ref> A 2016 study confirmed nectar robbing in the horned sungem; the observed individuals robbed nectar from the plants ''[[Amphilophium elongatum]]'' and a species of ''[[Sinningia]]''. However, it could not be observed whether the openings used to obtain the nectar were created by the sungem, by another hummingbird, or even by an insect. Nectar robbing may be an important survival strategy for the horned sungem in times of food shortages.<ref name="robber">{{cite journal |last1=Vitorino |first1=B.D. |last2=Frota |first2=A.V.B. |last3=Andrade |first3=A.L.P. |title=Nectar robbing behavior of the horned sungem hummingbird (''Heliactin bilophus'') (Birds: Trochilidae) in two species plant the genus ''Amphilophium'' Kunth (Bignoniaceae) and ''Sinningia'' Nees (Gesneriaceae) |journal=Biota Amazônia |date=29 December 2016 |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=104–106 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311974035|doi=<!-- Deny Citation Bot-->|oclc=6916894431}}</ref>

The sungem's [[Seasonal breeder|breeding season]] is mostly from June to October but in some cases starts as early as April. The female alone builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and cares for the young. It makes a small [[cup nest]] of soft material and spider web, adorned with [[lichen]] on the outside. One nest was measured at {{convertcvt|2.9|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter and {{convertcvt|1.95|cm|abbr=on}} in height. It is built in a branch fork, usually at a height of approximately {{convertcvt|1|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The female lays two white and elliptical eggs which are {{convertcvt|11|by|8|mm|abbr=on}} in size and {{convertcvt|0.29|g|abbr=on}} in weight. In one case, the second egg was laid within two hours of the first. The eggs are incubated for about 13 days. The chicks are naked and black just after hatching, and [[fledge]] 20 to 22 days later.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name="Marini2012"/> A 2012 study monitored one nest and found that it was re-used for a second breeding attempt later in the same breeding season.<ref name="Marini2012">{{Cite journal| volume = 23| issue = 3| pages = 385–405| last1 = Marini| first1 = M.Â| last2 = Borges| first2 = F.J.A| last3 = Lopes| first3 = L.E.| last4 = Sousa| first4 = N.O.M| last5 = Gressler| first5 = D.T.| last6 = Santos| first6 = L.R.| last7 = Paiva| first7 = L.V.| last8 = Duca| first8 = C.| last9 = Manica| first9 = L.T.| last10 = Rodrigues| first10 = S.S.| title = Breeding biology of birds in the Cerrado of central Brazil| journal = Ornitologia Neotropical| date = 2012| url = https://www.academia.edu/download/30423450/Marini_et_al_2012_BREEDING_BIOLOGY_OF_BIRDS_IN_THE_CERRADO_OF_CENTRAL_BRAZIL.pdf|url-status=dead| access-date = 2024-02-05| archive-date = 2024-02-16| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240216080850/https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/30423450/Marini_et_al_2012_BREEDING_BIOLOGY_OF_BIRDS_IN_THE_CERRADO_OF_CENTRAL_BRAZIL-libre.pdf?1390887804=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DBreeding_biology_of_birds_in_the_Cerrado.pdf&Expires=1708074530&Signature=Kh-CJQV8lF9rYv~sZ6QgLMAAE2gBsTMJYez41aeWFudltezRDcYz5k93bmYRGY7KftY3ZZMXdZuMEpdZtdzsXe1PnDwHRGkZiUhkYOGRE1dTuSGbfNpKJRFctmfgz8hK0txiupejWsS7cAsRJ87zYiOy3A73fSukTIfzVeW-HtSS4Ep3sJEYQi6sHfzB9gjxyFU0TyGk6vXxh8z-9OAKPVlvRqFn4TlqHjgP~aGN0W0rmlLCezdxqIwefekwvoQWzxZzWpp6YoWhwdzyj2bayhT9xKxt8124M0p~B0k3k8URMZIeZroTFAXZzAfxyI-4JQQVbyFBBP~-f6649eGO3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA}}</ref> The birds become [[sexual maturity|sexually mature]] in their second year, and the average generation length has been estimated at 4.2 years.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name=IUCN/>

The [[feather mite]] ''[[Allodectes norneri]]'' is a known [[parasite]] of the horned sungem. This mite has also been recorded in the [[long-tailed sylph]].<ref name="10.1080_01647954.2010.519719">{{cite journal |last1=Valim |first1=M.P. |last2=Hernandes |first2=F.A. |last3=Proctor |first3=H.C. |title=Feather mites of Brazil (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) |journal=International Journal of Acarology |date=August 2011 |volume=37 |issue=4 |pages=305 |doi=10.1080/01647954.2010.519719|bibcode=2011IJAca..37..293V |s2cid=85944640 }}</ref>

[[Category:Birds of the GuianasGuiana Shield]]