WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- Conservation officials say the first photograph ever taken of a living Santa Marta Sabrewing hummingbird has confirmed the existence of the bird in Colombia.
The American Bird Conservancy in Washington said the bird was discovered in the El Dorado Bird Reserve in the Santa Marta Mountains of northern Colombia. The land had been slated for vacation home development in 2006, but was spared by a last minute purchase by the Conservancy and Conservation International, in cooperation with the Colombian organization Fundacion Pro Aves, which manages several bird reserves in that nation.
"The photograph was taken March 24 by Laura Cardenas at about 6,200 feet elevation," officials said. "Cardenas was monitoring migratory birds in the 1,600-acre reserve as part of a research project. This particular bird was caught in a mist net, banded, photographed and released unharmed."
American Bird Conservancy officials said the El Dorado Bird Reserve is also the sole breeding ground for the globally endangered Santa Marta Parakeet. Another 17 endemic bird species, 11 threatened bird species and five threatened amphibians also live in the reserve.
