Calypte Explained

Calypte is a genus of hummingbirds. It consists of two species found in western North America.

Taxonomy

The genus Calypte was introduced in 1856 by the English ornithologist John Gould.^[1] The type species was subsequently designated as Costa's hummingbird.^[2] Gould did not explain the derivation of the genus name but it is probably from the Ancient Greek kaluptrē meaning "woman’s veil" or "head-dress" (from kaluptō meaning "to cover").^[3] The genus now contains two species.^[4]

References

• "National Geographic". Field Guide to the Birds of North America. .

Notes and References

1. Book: Gould, John . John Gould . 1856 . A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds . 4 . London . self . Plates 134, 135, 136 and text (Part 11, Plates 5, 6 and 7) . The 5 volumes were issued in 25 parts between 1849 and 1861. Title pages of all volumes bear the date of 1861.
2. Book: Peters . James Lee . James L. Peters . 1945 . Check-List of Birds of the World . 5 . Harvard University Press . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 136 .
3. Book: Jobling, James A. . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 86 .
4. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . January 2021 . Hummingbirds . IOC World Bird List Version 11.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 1 March 2021 .