Hellstern's Sylph

Hellstern's Sylph, Algaiocercus hellsterni is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in Devonshire and Shire.

It was named in honour of the author's grandmother.

Other names
Devonshire Sylph

Description
The Hellstern's Sylph is mainly shiny green in colour. The upperparts range from light green to greenish-blue while the underparts are dark green. The crown is mainly blue to indigo. The tail is indigo to purple. Wings are bluish-green. Feet and bill are black and eyes are dark. Female is similar, but with a shorter tail.

The green, blue and purple are not pigments, but rather it's caused by iridescence, which are structural rather than chemical in nature, and is caused by interference.

Similar species
Unlike the Long-tailed Sylph, it does not have a gorget spot and the sexes are similar.

Distribution/habitat
Lives in open woods, forests, parks, gardens and mountains up to 2000 m. Found throughout Shire and Devonshire. A vagrant to Aquitani. Migrates to Africa, throughout the Congo and residential areas.

Based on...
It is based on a Long-tailed Sylph. The sexes being similar but with males having a longer tail is based on Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.