A tiny, though cute bird who is immediately recognized by his long racket-like tail and white leg puffs.

Meet the White-booted Racket-tail.


Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The white-booted racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii) is a species of bird with strong sexual dimorphism. It is the male who wears the elongated outer tail feathers. These long feathers have their end in long terminal oval tufts. All five subspecies of white booted racket tail have these distinctive tales with straight feathers that do not cross. He is around 11 to 15 cm long (4.3 to 5.9 inches) which includes the 7 to 8 cm (2.8 to 3.1 inches) long outer tail feathers. He also wears green upperparts and white leg puffs. Along with a greenish-grey throat and solid green belly.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by Christoph Moning is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Like their male counterparts, female birds have greenish upper parts but they lack the long racket-like tales. They are around 7.6 to 9 cm long (3.023.5 inches) and weigh in at 2.6 to 3.2 g (0.0922 0.11 ounces).

All subspecies of male racket tales may differ in color but all wear their long racket-like tales.


Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

These birds can be found in and are endemic to Venezuelan, Colombia, and Ecuador.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by David McCorquodale is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped

These birds live in and around the temperate and subtropical forested regions of the Andes. They prefer to live on the edges of humid to wet forested areas but can also be found in the forested interior.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by Santiago Ron is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

The white booted racquet tail lights to look for fruit between six and 18 m (20 to 60 feet ) above ground level. It looks for nectar from a wide variety of plants. Though will capture insects by sallying out from a favored perch.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by Christoph Moning is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

The white-booted racket-tail breeds at least between January and April in Colombia but probably breeds at any time during the year. It makes a tiny cup nest of plant fiber and lichen, typically on a horizontal twig 6 to 8 m (20 to 30 ft) above the ground. The female incubates the clutch of two eggs for 16 to 17 days; fledging occurs 19 to 22 days after hatch.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by Christoph Moning is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

This bird is regarded as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.


“booted racket-tail, white-booted racket-tail” by Christoph Moning is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

You can watch these birds right here in the video below: