Ecuador
Buff-tailed Coronet
July 2004
The buff-tailed coronet (Boissonneaua flavescens) is a large Andean hummingbird found in western Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. It inhabits humid montane forest, cloud forest, forest edges, and shrubby clearings, generally at elevations of approximately 6,560 to 10,500 feet (2,000 to 3,200 meters). Its plumage is predominantly iridescent green, with a short black bill, a small white patch behind each eye, cinnamon-colored underwings, and buff outer tail feathers edged with bronze.
Buff-tailed coronets feed on flower nectar and small arthropods. They usually forage from the forest’s middle levels to the canopy and may cling briefly to flowers while feeding, an unusual behavior among hummingbirds. Individuals vigorously defend concentrated nectar sources, although several may feed near one another where flowers are abundant.
The female constructs a cup-shaped nest from moss and lichen, typically attached to a branch, and incubates a clutch of two eggs without assistance from the male. The species is currently classified as Least Concern, although its population size and overall trend have not been firmly established.
