Red-tailed Comet Sappho sparganurus

Unmistakable and spectacular hummingbird of the high Andes and outlying mountains from near the Peru-Bolivia border south to central Argentina. The male’s green-gold back that fades to a long, shimmering red tail is distinctive even from distance. The female also has a unique elongated red tail. This species generally occurs in arid or open habitats, to and above treeline, and tends to be most abundant near flowering Cardon cacti and tree tobacco.