Nectar of Puya species like resource for high Andean hummingbirds of Ancash, Peru

In the high Andean region of Ancash the greatest diversity of flowers ornithophilous is in shrublands, in contrast to rocky areas and grasslands, in those that we find stands of bromelias of the genera Puya whose nectar could constitute an important resource for high Andean hummingbirds in these habitat types. To document this hypothesis, during 2004-2005, in 264 hours of observation, were evaluated the hummingbirds of two stands of Puya above the 3000 m of altitude. The first stand was of Puya raimondii in a grassland of the Huascarán National Park (9º39’ S-77º13’ W), the second was of Puya rauhii in rocky areas of the Conchucos Valley (8º10’ S-77º52’ W). The frequency of visit of hummingbirds to the inflorescences of Puya was evaluated from 10 fixed points of observation, also captures with mist nets allowed to identify the pollen of their bill and front. In P. raimondii four species of Trochilidae were identified feeding of their nectar (Oreotrochilus stolzmanni, Patagonia gigas, Aglaeactis cupripennis and Metallura phoebe), being O. stolzmanni the frequently sighted species (60%). 80% of the obtained samples of pollen of these hummingbirds corresponded P. raimondii. In the rodal of Puya rauhii was identified ten species of Trochilidae (Colibri coruscans, Oreotrochilus stolzmanni, Patagonia gigas, Aglaeactis cupripennis, Coeligena iris, Chalcostigma stanleyi, Lesbia nuna, Myrtis fanny, Metallura phoebe and M. tyrianthina), being the species with more sightings M. phoebe (26%), C. coruscans (21%) and P. gigas (17%). 31% of the obtained samples of pollen of these hummingbirds corresponded to Puya. The high Andean species of Puya provide an important nutritious resource for hummingbirds, especially for those of high altitudes where the diversity of plants diminishes.