Birds
Booted Racket-tail
Ocreatus underwoodii
Trailing a long, racket-tipped tail behind fluffy white leg puffs that resemble tiny boots, a booted racket-tail performs a flight display through Andean forest understory, one of the most distinctively adorned small hummingbirds anywhere in South America.
Overview
The booted racket-tail, Ocreatus underwoodii, is a Least Concern hummingbird found across humid Andean forest understory from Venezuela and Colombia south through Peru and Bolivia. Its fluffy white leg puffs, long racket-tipped tail, and tiny body size combine to make it one of the most visually distinctive small hummingbirds found anywhere in the Andes.
Small bird, oversized ornaments
Despite ranking among the smaller Andean hummingbirds, the booted racket-tail carries proportionally striking ornamentation, its leg puffs and tail rackets standing out all the more dramatically against its compact body size.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable Andean forest understory habitat throughout its range.
Booted Racket-tail: common questions
Why is it called the booted racket-tail?
It shows distinctive fluffy white feather tufts on the legs resembling tiny boots, combined with a long tail ending in bare-shafted, paddle-shaped rackets, features that together give the species its common name.
What is the booted racket-tail's tail used for?
Males use the long racket-tipped tail during flight displays performed to attract visiting females.
How small is the booted racket-tail?
It is one of the smaller hummingbird species found in the Andes, making its oversized tail and fluffy leg puffs especially striking in proportion to its body.
Where is the booted racket-tail found?
It ranges across humid Andean forest understory from Venezuela and Colombia south through Peru and Bolivia.