The black-crested coquette, a member of the Trochilidae family, is a hummingbird that looks like a large insect. It has a short red bill with a black tip, a glossy green back, and a black rump separated from the greenback by a white stripe. Its belly is a green-bronze spotted combination, and it has a black and green crest on its head. The throat is sparkling green, with showy black-and-buff throat feathers extending from the lower throat. Their most identifiable characteristics are their feathery crests and the white stripe on their rump. Adult females do not have the crests or throat patches of adult males and typically have more brownish and duller plumage.
The Black-crested Coquette can be found in various countries across Central America such as Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
These feathered creatures prefer to dwell in environments such as moist lowland forests or montane areas that have subtropical or tropical climates. They are also commonly spotted near the periphery of rainforests, and even in areas where forests have been heavily damaged.
The Black-crested Croquette bird species has a diverse diet of nectar extracted from various types of small flowers that are brightly colored and scented. These flowers can be found on trees, herbs, shrubs, and epiphytes. To choose the best nectar, they look for those with a high sugar content. Their long, straw-like tongues are used to extract the nectar while hovering and cocking their tails upwards. It’s impressive to note that they can lick at the nectar up to 13 times per second. The male birds establish feeding territories, which they fiercely defend by chasing away other males and even larger insects like bumblebees and hawk moths.
In the breeding season, it is the female’s duty to construct a cozy and cup-shaped nest using plant fibers that are woven together. To make it harder for predators to spot, the nest is concealed on the outside with green moss, and it is typically built in a safe shrub or tree, about 1 – 5 m above ground level. The inside of the nest is lined with soft material and fortified with spider webbing. The female lays a maximum of two white eggs, which she incubates alone for roughly one to two weeks before allowing the chicks to be left on their own even on colder nights after approximately twelve days, presumably because the nest is small. The chicks are capable of leaving the nest when they reach around 20 days old.
Although not frequently encountered, the Black-crested Coquette is not presently categorized as an endangered species. Despite a 10% drop in population over the past decade, the existing number remains relatively consistent.
Observe the avian creature showcased in the presented video: