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{{Short description|Species of hummingbird}}
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{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}
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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.
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
==Taxonomy and systematics==
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. 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
The [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Heliactin'' derives from the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] words
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
[[File:Nouveaurecueild4Temm_0168.jpg|thumb|Drawing of the [[holotype]] specimen of the horned sungem as figured in the 1820 description of the species|alt=Old drawing from 1820 depicting the male of the horned sungem; the drawing was based on a dead specimen and therefore is odd-looking, not reflecting the live appearance of the species]]
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==Description==
[[File:Heliactin bilophus 348331475.jpg|thumb|left|Male near [[Serra do Cipó National Park]]|alt=Male perching on a twig in front-side view]]
The horned sungem is a small hummingbird with a long tail, measuring {{
The species shows pronounced [[sexual dimorphism|differences between male and female]]. The male is recognized as particularly beautiful and spectacular, with [[Iridescence|iridescent]] feather tufts ("horns") above the eyes.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> Each of these tufts consists of a row of six feathers that are inclined backwards and are fiery red at their base, golden in the middle, and golden-green at their tips. The other feathers of the upper surface of the head are shiny dark blue to blue green and form a low crest at the back. The throat and side of the head up to the ear region are covered with non-iridescent black feathers; those of the middle of the throat are very long, forming a pointed "beard" that extends above the white feathers of the breast.<ref name="wiedneuwied"/><ref name=HOSU-BOW/><ref name="Restall2006"/> The female is plainer, without the "horns", the black feathers, and the iridescent head feathers.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/> Its chin and throat are brown or yellow-buff, with darker tones on the sides of the head. Its tail is shorter than that of the male.<ref name="robber"/><ref name="Restall2006"/> Juveniles resemble females.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/>
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>
===Vocalizations===
{{birdsong|url=https://xeno-canto.org/species/Heliactin-bilophus |species=horned sungem}}
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>
==Distribution and habitat==
[[File:Heliactin bilophus 332892073.jpg|thumb|Female in [[Paraíba]]|alt=Female perching on a twig, in front-side view, partially hidden behind another twig]]
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 {{
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 {{
==Ecology and behavior==
===Migration===
The horned sungem is a highly nomadic species.<ref name="jewels"/> The populations in central-east Brazil are [[Bird migration|migratory]], where the birds move in response to the seasonal flowering of plants. Elsewhere it appears to be more resident, though its movement patterns in southern Brazil are not well known.<ref name=HOSU-BOW/>
===Feeding===
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|footer = Female [[nectar robbing]] the plant ''[[Amphilophium elongatum]]'' (top); hole used to obtain the nectar (bottom, red circle)
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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 ''
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>
===Breeding===
[[File:Sungem.webm|thumb|left|Male filmed near [[Serra do Cipó National Park]]|alt=Video of a male perching on a twig, rubbing its bill against the twig, stretching its tongue, making calls, and flying briefly from the twig and sitting down again]]
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 {{
===Agonistic behavior===
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===Parasites===
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>
==Status==
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==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikispecies|Heliactin bilophus}}
* [https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/302997841 Photograph of a cup nest with eggs]
* [https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/219114491 Photograph of a cup nest with two chicks]
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[[Category:Birds of the Caatinga]]
[[Category:Birds of the Cerrado]]
[[Category:Birds of the
[[Category:Birds of the Pantanal]]
[[Category:Hummingbird species of South America]]
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