Meet the Rufous-Crested Coquette (Lophornis delattrei), a hummingbird native to the tropical slopes of the Pacific side of South America. The adult male has a striking orange crest with a black head, extending from the top of its head covered in rufous feathers. It also has a white stripe across its rump, with brown, orange, and green tail feathers stretching out behind it. The body is covered in a light greenish shimmer, and its throat is a darker green with feathers that end in sharp, small white tips. The male’s rufous crest surrounds its throat, and its green tail feathers form a double round shape.
The female, less vivid than the male, has a rusty-colored forehead and throat, lacking the green throat and orange crest of the male. She also has a wide white stripe across her cheeks, separated by a dark green line in the middle of her throat and a dark brown line beneath.
Rufous-Crested Coquettes live in the Pacific and Caribbean slopes of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Costa Rica, with at least one sighting in western Brazil. They prefer tropical or subtropical lowland forests and montane forests at altitudes of 500m to 1,900m above sea level. These hummingbirds primarily feed on nectar from a variety of small, brightly colored, fragrant flowers found in trees, shrubs, and epiphytic plants. They are known for their aggressiveness in protecting high-energy nectar areas, using their long, tube-like tongues to extract nectar while hovering with their tails upright. They occasionally eat insects and spiders as well.
During the breeding season, the female builds a cup-shaped nest made of interwoven plant fibers and moss, usually in dense shrubs or small trees. She lines the nest with soft plant fibers, animal hair, and feathers. The female lays a single white egg inside, and after hatching, she feeds the chicks regurgitated insects. After about 20 days, the chicks are fully feathered and capable of flying. The male’s role in reproduction is primarily limited to mating.
Although rare, the Rufous-Crested Coquette population seems stable, and the IUCN Red List considers the species at least of “Least Concern.”
