Black-crested Coquette

The Black-crested Coquette, Lophornis helenae, is a diminutive and enchanting hummingbird belonging to the tribe Lesbiini of the subfamily Lesbiinae. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males sporting a distinctive dark metallic green crown adorned by a wispy greenish-black crest, while females lack the crest and have a more subdued coloration.

Identification Tips

Adult males can be recognized by their metallic green crown with a black crest, a white band separating the metallic bronze green back from the sooty blackish rump, and cinnamon rufous tail feathers. Females, on the other hand, have dark metallic green to bronze green upperparts, a narrow white band across the rump, and cinnamon rufous tail feathers with a wide black band near the end. Both sexes have a bright red bill with a black tip, although the female's maxilla is black and the mandible is red with a dark tip.

Habitat

The Black-crested Coquette favors semi-open landscapes at the edges of humid montane and lowland evergreen forests, as well as gaps in the forest and brushy areas.

Distribution

This species is found from southern Veracruz in Mexico, through eastern Guatemala, southern Belize, eastern Honduras and Nicaragua, and into eastern Costa Rica. A separate population exists on the Pacific side of Central America from Chiapas in Mexico through much of western Guatemala.

Behaviour

The Black-crested Coquette is a year-round resident throughout most of its range, with some altitudinal movements noted in Costa Rica. It typically forages by trap-lining, visiting a circuit of flowering trees, and hovers to feed. It also gleans small arthropods from foliage while in flight.

Song & Calls

Often silent, the Black-crested Coquette's song is described as a clear, upslurred "tsuwee," repeated occasionally. When engaged in conflict or while feeding, it may emit a thin, high twittering or a quiet, slightly metallic "teek."

Breeding

Little is known about the breeding habits of this species. A nest observed in Costa Rica was a small cup situated at the end of a twig, approximately 8 meters above the ground at the forest edge.

Diet and Feeding

The Black-crested Coquette feeds primarily on nectar, which it seeks in the canopy and at lower levels. It also consumes small arthropods, which it captures in flight from foliage.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the Black-crested Coquette as Least Concern. While the exact population size and trend are unknown, the species is considered vulnerable to widespread habitat loss or degradation, but is otherwise not significantly affected by human activity in the short term.