Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

White-crested Coquette

Lophornis adorabilis

The White-crested Coquette, known scientifically as Lophornis adorabilis, is a diminutive hummingbird species adorned with a distinctive white crest. This avian jewel measures approximately 7 cm in length and tips the scales at a mere 2.7 grams. The male is particularly striking with his coppery bronze forehead and lores, and a resplendent white crest that stands erect upon his crown. His nape and back shimmer with bronzy green, while a white band demarcates the transition to his purplish bronze rump and uppertail coverts. The tail is a warm chestnut-rufous, edged in bronze, and his throat and cheeks glint with a glittering green, the latter adorned with elongated, wispy tufts. A white band distinctly separates his throat from the cinnamon-rufous underparts. His bill is a striking red with a black tip, adding to his allure.

Identification Tips

The adult male White-crested Coquette can be identified by his white crest and long cheek tufts. The female, in contrast, is more subdued in coloration, lacking the male's crest and tufts. She has a dusky bronze face and forecrown, with a white throat and chest speckled with bronzy green. Both sexes have a chestnut-rufous tail, but the female's features a black band near the end. The immature birds resemble the adult female but with variations in the throat and tail banding.

Habitat

This species favors the interior and edges of humid forests, as well as taller secondary growth. It can also be found in more open landscapes, such as hedgerows, from sea level to elevations exceeding 1,200 meters.

Distribution

The White-crested Coquette graces the Pacific side of southern Costa Rica, extending inland to the Cordillera Central, and is also found on the Pacific slope of far western Panama.

Behaviour

The White-crested Coquette exhibits a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, often congregating in areas abundant with blooming trees before vanishing to other locales.

Song & Calls

When feeding, this species emits a soft, liquid "tseping" sound, adding a delicate note to the forest soundscape.

Breeding

Breeding occurs early in the dry season, from December to February. The male's courtship display involves a side-to-side arcing flight in front of a perched or hovering female. The female constructs a cup nest from plant down and cobwebs, adorned with lichen, and suspended from a branch, sometimes at dizzying heights of up to 18 meters. The typical clutch consists of two eggs, with fledglings leaving the nest after 21 to 22 days.

Diet and Feeding

The White-crested Coquette feeds primarily on nectar, which it seeks in the forest canopy and at lower levels. It also gleans small arthropods from foliage while hovering.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the White-crested Coquette as Least Concern, with an estimated population of at least 20,000 mature individuals. However, the population is on a declining trend, primarily due to deforestation and habitat reduction, which poses a significant threat to this and many other species.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

White-crested Coquettes on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Hummingbirds

A photo of a Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys)

Speckled Hummingbird

Adelomyia melanogenys
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.