The Blue-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera johannae) is a small hummingbird found in the Andes mountains of South America. With an average body length of 7-8 cm and weight of 3-4 grams, it is a relatively petite hummingbird species. Its most distinguishing feature is the bright cobalt blue patch on the forehead of the adult male. Females lack this colorful forehead patch and are overall duller in color.
Range and Habitat
The blue-fronted lancebill has a highly restricted range in the Andes, limited to parts of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Its elevational range is from 3000 to 4500 meters above sea level. It occurs in elfin forests and shrublands in the high Andes mountains. The elfin forests where it lives are dominated by small, gnarled trees and shrubs that can withstand the cold temperatures and high winds of the altitude. It is found near treeline, the elevation above which trees cannot grow due to the extreme conditions.
The habitats of the blue-fronted lancebill face threats from climate change, as rising temperatures enable trees and shrubs to grow at higher elevations, eliminating open elfin forest habitat. Overgrazing by livestock is another concern, as is habitat loss from mining activities in the Andes. Protecting remnant patches of elfin forest habitat will be crucial for conservation of this range-restricted species.
Physical Description
The most striking feature of the adult male blue-fronted lancebill is its bright, iridescent cobalt blue patch on the forehead. It is thought that this coloration is the result of structural coloration from the microscopic structure of the feathers, rather than from pigments. The belly and undertail coverts are also a glittering greenish-blue. The back and crown are metallic green. Females lack the vivid blue forehead and instead have greenish stripes on the head. Their underparts are buffy with green spots on the throat. Both sexes have a slender, curved black bill adapted for accessing nectar from flowers. The tail is forked.
Diet and Feeding
Like all hummingbirds, the blue-fronted lancebill feeds on flower nectar and tiny insects. Its slender bill is an adaptation for probing into flowers for nectar. Common flower genera it visits include Puya, Chuquiraga, Barnadesia, and Espeletia. When feeding, hummingbirds lick nectar from the flower using a tongue that extends past the end of the bill. They use their high metabolism to power hovering flight as they extract the nectar. The blue-fronted lancebill prefers flowers with a corolla length matching the length of its bill. This species exhibits traplining behavior, repeatedly visiting a regular circuit of productive flowers.
In addition to nectar, the blue-fronted lancebill consumes small insects to obtain proteins and other nutrients not found in nectar. They glean insects from foliage and also hawk flying insects. Prey items include small bees, flies, spiders and beetles.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for the blue-fronted lancebill occurs between October and January. As with other Andean hummingbirds, eggs are laid during the rainy season when flower and insect food sources are most abundant. Males perform courtship displays to attract females, including shuttle flights back and forth. If a female shows interest, she may be chased by multiple males competing to mate with her.
The female blue-fronted lancebill builds a tiny cup nest out of plant down and spider webs on a branch or in a crevice. She incubates the two small white eggs for about 16-19 days before they hatch. The chicks are fed regurgitated food by the female. They fledge the nest at 20-26 days old.
Migration
This species is resident and non-migratory. Pairs defend territories in the elfin forests year-round. At high elevations where they live, food can become scarce in winter when many flowers stop blooming. To survive the lean winter months, blue-fronted lancebills enter daily torpor, a hibernation-like state where their body temperature and metabolic rate drops. This saves crucial energy.
Taxonomy and Relationships
The blue-fronted lancebill is classified in the hummingbird family Trochilidae and placed in the subfamily Trochilinae. Its genus Doryfera includes just two species. The other species in the genus is the green-fronted lancebill, Doryfera ludovicae, which differs in having a green forehead patch in males. These lancebill species replace each other geographically, with the green-fronted found farther south in Bolivia.
Some taxonomic authorities place the lancebills in their own subfamily, Doryferinae, due to their specialized tongue structure. DNA evidence suggests that the lancebills diverged early in the evolutionary history of hummingbirds. Despite morphological adaptations like the bill shape, they do not appear to be close relatives of hermits and other long-billed hummingbirds. More research is needed to clarify the phylogenetics of this group.
Conservation Status and Threats
The blue-fronted lancebill is currently classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. Its small range and population size make it vulnerable to habitat loss. Climate change poses a potential threat through upward shifts in the tree line, loss of elfin forest habitat, and increased drying. Accidental poisoning from pesticides is another issue when they are sprayed on flowering crops visited by the lancebills. Eco-tourism brings money into the region but also risks disturbance. Continued protection of Andean habitats will be needed to ensure the persistence of unique species like the blue-fronted lancebill.
In summary, the blue-fronted lancebill is an endemic hummingbird of the high Andes mountains, adapted to the harsh conditions found at elevations near treeline. With its glittering blue forehead and specialized feeding abilities, it is exquisitely adapted to alpine environments. Conservation of this range restricted species will require maintaining sufficient habitat area and connectivity in a rapidly changing world. Ongoing research and monitoring of Andean hummingbird populations like the blue-fronted lancebill will allow us to better understand how they fare in the face of future environmental pressures.