Shining Honeycreeper

The Shining Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes lucidus, is a diminutive yet striking bird belonging to the tanager family. Males exhibit a vibrant purple-blue plumage contrasted with black wings, tail, and throat, and are further distinguished by their bright yellow legs. Females, on the other hand, are adorned with green upperparts and a greenish-blue head, complemented by a buff throat and bluish underparts streaked with buff. Juveniles resemble females but have a greener hue on the head and breast.

Identification Tips

To identify the Shining Honeycreeper, look for its long black decurved bill and the male's distinctive coloration. The male's yellow legs are a key differentiator from other species. Females can be identified by their green and blue tones and buff streaks. The species measures approximately 10 cm in length and weighs around 11 g.

Habitat

This species is primarily found in the forest canopy but is also known to inhabit forest edges and areas of secondary growth.

Distribution

The Shining Honeycreeper graces the tropical New World, with its range extending from southern Mexico through Central America to Panama and northwest Colombia.

Behaviour

Typically encountered in pairs or family groups, the Shining Honeycreeper is an active bird that feeds mainly in the canopy. It is known to respond readily to the call of the ferruginous pygmy owl.

Song & Calls

The call of the Shining Honeycreeper is a high-pitched, thin "seee." The male's song is a series of "pit pit pit pit pit-pit," which can be heard repeated for extended periods.

Breeding

The female is responsible for constructing a shallow cup nest within a tree, where she incubates a clutch of two eggs.

Similar Species

The Shining Honeycreeper is often compared to the Purple Honeycreeper, with the male of the latter being slightly darker and possessing a smaller black throat patch. The female Purple Honeycreeper has buff lores and lacks the blue tinge to the head seen in the Shining Honeycreeper. Another species sharing its range is the larger Red-legged Honeycreeper, which can be distinguished by its red legs and, in males, a black mantle.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Shining Honeycreeper includes nectar, berries, and insects, which it forages for predominantly in the canopy.

Conservation status

The Shining Honeycreeper is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, indicating that it does not face any immediate threats to its survival.