Ruby-topaz-Hummingbird
[order] Apodiformes | [family] Trochilidae | [latin] Chrysolampis mosquitus | [UK] Ruby-topaz Hummingbird | [FR] Colibri rubis-topaze | [DE] Moskitokolibri | [ES] Colibri Rubi | [IT] Colibri rubino-topazio | [NL] Rode Kolibrie
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Orthorhyncus | mosquitus | ||||
| Chrysolampis | mosquitus | LA | e Panama to n, e, c SA |
Physical charateristics
The male has green-glossed dark brown upperparts. The crown and nape are glossy red, and the throat and breast are brilliant golden. The rest of the underparts are brown, and the chestnut tail is tipped black. The male often looks dark, until he turns and the brilliant colours flash in the sunlight.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (depicted above) has bronze-green upperparts and pale grey underparts with a dark chin stripe. The tail is chestnut, tipped white. Immature males are like the female, but there is a white spot behind the eye and the outer tail feathers are violet, tipped white.
The black bill is short and straight.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (depicted above) has bronze-green upperparts and pale grey underparts with a dark chin stripe. The tail is chestnut, tipped white. Immature males are like the female, but there is a white spot behind the eye and the outer tail feathers are violet, tipped white.
The black bill is short and straight.
Listen to the sound of Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/R/Ruby-topaz Hummingbird.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 8 | cm | size max.: | 9 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 15 | days | incubation max.: | 16 | days |
| fledging min.: | 19 | days | fledging max.: | 22 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
It breeds in the Lesser Antilles and tropical northern South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to central Brazil.
Habitat
This aggressive resident hummingbird is seen in gardens, open areas and at the edges of the forest edge.
Reproduction
The female Tufted Coquette lays two eggs in a small cup nest made of plant down and placed on a branch
Feeding habits
This nectar feeder particularly likes the flowers of the Samaan tree and the ixora plant and generally feeds alone. It attempts to guard patches of flowers bringing it into conflict with the Copper-rumped Hummingbird and the white-chested emerald. Apart from nectar, it also eats insects including spiders and wasps.
At the perch the males often spread their tail and ruffle their crown feathers in a display.
At the perch the males often spread their tail and ruffle their crown feathers in a display.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,300,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Sedentary throughout range
Distribution map
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