Green-headed hillstar
| Green-headed hillstar | |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Oreotrochilus |
| Species: | O. stolzmanni |
| Binomial name | |
| Oreotrochilus stolzmanni Salvin, 1895 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Oreotrochilus estella stolzmanni | |
The green-headed hillstar (Oreotrochilus stolzmanni) is a species of hummingbird found in the Andes of southern Ecuador and northern and central Peru. It is one of 6 species in the genus Oreotrochilus, and can be distinguished from its relatives by subtle differences in plumage coloration. The green-headed hillstar received its name due to its bronze and green crown and gorget of bright emerald green plumage. The species was first discovered by English ornithologist Osbert Salvin in 1895 and named after Polish ornithologist Jean Stanislaus Stolzmann.
Hillstars of this genus are distinct among the hummingbird family Trochilidae because of their preference for high-elevation environments, and the development of many behavioral and physiological adaptations in order to survive the cold climate of the high Andes.