Green-crowned Plovercrest

Overview

The green-crowned plovercrest, also known as the black-breasted plovercrest, is a small hummingbird in the emeralds tribe of the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Brazil and currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• A tiny hummingbird measuring 8.5 to 9 cm in length.
• Adult males feature a shaggy, iridescent green crest with purplish-black longest feathers, a gray face with a white spot behind the eye, and shining bronze-green upperparts.
• Underparts range from violet-blue on the chin to upper belly to gray on the rest of the body, with central tail feathers that are green and others banded and tipped.
• The male's song is a long series of repeated modulated notes described as 'tsi-ling...tsi-ling...', often starting with a high-pitched 'tsee'.

Habitat

Found in the eastern Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, it inhabits the understory of forests, scrublands, and vegetation along watercourses. The species typically ranges from sea level to 1,500 m but has been recorded as high as 2,900 m.

Diet

This species forages for nectar from near the ground to the canopy, utilizing both native and introduced flowering plants. It also consumes insects caught in flight or gleaned from leaves.

Did you know?

The green-crowned plovercrest and the purple-crowned plovercrest were once considered a single species but were restored to separate statuses in 2014 after a study confirmed their distinct identity. They remain the only members of their genus and are therefore monotypic.