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Bearded helmetcrest
Green-bearded helmetcrest, Oxypogon guerinii
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Strisores
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Trochilidae
Tribe:	Lesbiini
Genus:	Oxypogon Gould, 1848
Type species
Ornismya guerinii Boissonneau, 1840
Species
see text

The bearded helmetcrests (Oxypogon) are a genus of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. They are found in Colombia and Venezuela. Primary natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, known as páramo. The genus contains four species.

Taxonomy and species list

The genus Oxypogon was introduced in 1848 by the English ornithologist John Gould. The type species was subsequently designated as the green-bearded helmetcrest. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek oxus meaning "sharp" or "pointed" with pōgōn meaning "beard".

The genus contains four species:

Genus Oxypogon – Gould, 1848 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
White-bearded helmetcrest	Oxypogon lindenii (Parzudaki, 1845)	Venezuela	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Green-bearded helmetcrest	Oxypogon guerinii (Boissonneau, 1840)	Colombia	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Blue-bearded helmetcrest	Oxypogon cyanolaemus Salvin & Godman, 1880	northern Colombia	Size: Habitat: Diet:	CR
Buffy helmetcrest	Oxypogon stuebelii Meyer, AB, 1884	Colombia	Size: Habitat: Diet:	VU

These four species were formerly all considered as subspecies of what was known as the bearded helmetcrest (Oxypogon guerinii). The bearded helmetcrest was split into four separate species based on a study of biometric and plumage data published in 2013.

A study of mitochondrial DNA of hummingbirds shows it to be most closely related to the bearded mountaineer (Oreonympha nobilis) and the rufous-capped thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps). The other member of the genus Chalcostigma lay outside the group, suggesting the genus might need revising in the future.

Description

The most common species, the white-bearded helmetcrest, measures 11.4 cm (4.5 in) in length, it is a small hummingbird with a very small 8 mm (0.31 in) bill. The adult male has a distinctive pointed black crest and a shaggy white beard. The face and cheeks are blackish, rendering a triangular shape with the white fronted crest and white beard. The underparts are a dull green-grey. The female lacks the beard and crest.

The species of bearded helmetcrests are found in the Andes, ranging from altitudes of 3,600 to 4,500 m (11,800 to 14,800 ft) in Venezuela, and 3,200 to 5,200 m (10,500 to 17,100 ft) in Colombia. Its main habitat is the páramo, but can descend to the treeline outside of breeding season.

All species often perch on boulders and flit between low-flowering shrubs, visiting the flowers of the genera Espeletia, Echeveria, Siphocampylus, Castilleja and Draba.

All species breed during the rainy season, and nest in the daisy Espeletia or build a nest of material from the daisy in a cliff or bank.

References

1. Gould, John (1848). "Drafts for a new arrangement of the Trochilidae". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Part 16 (180): 11–14 .
2. Gray, George Robert (1855). Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds Contained in the British Museum. London: British Museum. p. 22.
3. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 122.
4. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 287. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
5. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
6. Collar, Nigel J.; Salaman, Paul (2013). "The taxonomic and conservation status of the Oxypogon helmetcrests" (PDF). Conservación Colombiana. 19: 31–38.
7. McGuire, Jimmy A.; Witt Christopher C.; Remsen, J. V. Jr; Dudley R.; Altshuler, Douglas L. (2008). "A higher-level taxonomy for hummingbird" (PDF). Journal of Ornithology. 150: 155–65. doi:10.1007/s10336-008-0330-x. S2CID 1918245.
8. ^ Steven L. Hilty; Bill Brown (1986). A guide to the birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 295. ISBN 0-691-08372-X. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
9. ^ Steven L. Hilty; Rodolphe Meyer de Schauensee (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Princeton University Press. p. 432. ISBN 0-691-09250-8. Retrieved 12 June 2011.

v t e Genera of nightjars, hummingbirds, swifts and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Passerea Clade: Strisores
Strisores †Archaeotrogonidae Archaeodromus Archaeotrogon Hassiavis Caprimulgiformes †"Wyomingcypselus" Caprimulgidae †Ventivorus Caprimulginae Antrostomus Caprimulgus Eleothreptus Gactornis Hydropsalis Macropsalis Nyctidromus Nyctiphrynus Nyctipolus Phalaenoptilus Setopagis Siphonorhis Systellura Uropsalis Veles Chordeilinae Chordeiles Lurocalis Nyctiprogne Eurostopodinae Eurostopodus Lyncornis Vanescaves Sedentaves Steatornithiformes †Euronyctibius †Prefica †Protocypselomorphus †Fluvioviridavidae Fluvioviridavis Steatornithidae Steatornis Nyctibiiformes Nyctibiidae †Parapreficinae Paraprefica Nyctibiinae Nyctibius Phyllaemulor Letornithes Podargiformes Podargiformes †Masillapodargus †Quercypodargus Podargidae Batrachostomus Podargus Rigidipenna Apodimorphae See below ↓
Apodimorphae †Eocypselidae Eocypselus Daedalornithes incertae sedis †Palescyvus Aegotheliformes †Quipollornis Aegothelidae Aegotheles Apodiformes †Cypseloramphus? †Aegialornithidae Aegialornis Primapus Procuculus? †Cypselavidae Argornis Cypselavus Parargornis †Jungornithidae Jungornis Trochiloidea See below ↓ Apodidae See below ↓
Trochiloidea incertae sedis †Eurotrochilus Trochilidae Florisuginae Florisuga Topaza Phaethornithinae Anopetia Eutoxeres Glaucis Phaethornis Ramphodon Threnetes Polytminae Androdon Anthracothorax Augastes Avocettula Chrysolampis Colibri Doryfera Eulampis Heliactin Heliothryx Polytmus Schistes Polytminae Heliantheini Aglaeactis Boissonneaua Coeligena Eriocnemis Ensifera Haplophaedia Heliodoxa Lafresnaya Loddigesia Ocreatus Pterophanes Urochroa Urosticte Lesbiini Adelomyia Aglaiocercus Chalcostigma Discosura Heliangelus Lesbia Lophornis Metallura Opisthoprora Oreonympha Oreotrochilus Oxypogon Phlogophilus Polyonymus Ramphomicron Sappho Sephanoides Taphrolesbia Patagoninae Patagona Trochilinae Trochilini Abeillia Amazilia Amazilis Anthocephala Basilinna Campylopterus Chalybura Chionomesa Chlorestes Chlorostilbon Chrysuronia Cynanthus Elliotomyia Eupetomena Eupherusa Goldmania Hylocharis Klais Leucippus Leucochloris Microchera Orthorhyncus Pampa Phaeochroa Phaeoptila Polyerata Ramosomyia Riccordia Saucerottia Stephanoxis Talaphorus Taphrospilus Thalurania Thaumasius Trochilus Uranomitra Lampornithini Eugenes Heliomaster Hylonympha Lampornis Lamprolaima Panterpe Sternoclyta Mellisugini Archilochus Calliphlox Calothorax Calypte Chaetocercus Doricha Eulidia Mellisuga Microstilbon Myrmia Myrtis Nesophlox Philodice Rhodopis Selasphorus Thaumastura Tilmatura
Apodi incertae sedis †Laputavis †Procypseloides †Scaniacypselus Hemiprocnidae Hemiprocne Apodidae Apodinae Apodini Aeronautes Apus Cypsiurus Panyptila Tachornis Tachymarptis Chaeturini Chaetura Hirundapus Mearnsia Neafrapus Rhaphidura Telacanthura Zoonavena Collocaliini Aerodramus Collocalia Hydrochous Schoutedenapus Cypseloidinae Cypseloides Streptoprocne

• Oxypogon