Purple-collared Woodstar (Myrtis fanny) [XC789965]
by Herman van Oosten from Vilcabamba, Loja, Ecuador (song, wingnoise)
Purple-collared Woodstar (Myrtis fanny) [XC388820]
by Bel\u00e9n \u00c1lvaro from Cabanaconde, Caylloma, Arequipa, Peru (call)
Subspecies
Relationships unclear. Eclipse plumage of adult male may indicate close affinities to Calliphlox and Thaumastura. Some researchers postulate close links to North American genera Calypte and Stellula. Often treated as sole member of Myrtis.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
fanny (Lesson, 1838) - Western and south-eastern Ecuador to western Peru (Piura south to Arequipa).
megalura Zimmer, JT, 1953 - Northern Peru (Cajabamba through south-eastern La Libertad to extreme north-western Huánuco).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet