Diagnoses of hybrid hummingbirds (Aves : Trochilidae). 9. Confirmation of the hybrid origin of Coeligena purpurea Gould, 1854

Abstract

Coeligena purpurea Gould, 1854 is shown to be a hybrid between Coeligena coeligena and Coeligena prunellei. The geographic distribution of the parental species suggests that the two hybrid specimens were collected in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. The hybrids exhibit a blended mosaic of plumage characters of the postulated parental species. External measurements of the hybrids fall within the cumulative ranges of characters of the parental species.