Marvelous spatuletail

Species of hummingbird

The marvelous spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) is an endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to northern Peru. However, a molecular phylogenetic study of the hummingbirds published in 2014 found that the marvelous spatuletail was embedded in genus Eriocnemis, the "pufflegs". Moving it to Eriocnemis would require that the colorful puffleg (currently E. mirabilis) receive a new specific epithet because the spatuletail's mirabilis has priority.

The male marvelous spatuletail is long including its tail. Females are long with a tail. The male's signature feature is its two outer tail feathers with bare shafts that cross each other and end in large purplish black racquets or "spatules". The remaining tail feathers are very short and are supported by two long undertail coverts. The female's outer tail feathers are also long, but shorter than the male's, and do not have the racquets. Both sexes have a slightly decurved black bill and a white spot behind the eye. Males have mostly green upperparts with a blue crest and a brownish hindneck. Their gorget is glossy blue green and the rest of the underparts are white with a black line down the center. Females are also green above but do not have a crest or gorget. Their underparts are white without the male's black central line.

The male marvelous spatuletail gives "a repeated high pitched buzzy metallic note 'tzzz tzzz '" during its aerial display. Its calls include "an upslurred high pitched sweet note 'tswee'" and "a more strident 'tsik'".

The marvelous spatuletail has been featured on the PBS TV series Nature and two BBC TV series, Natural World and Life.