White-crested coquette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-crested coquette |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Lophornis |
| Species: |
L. adorabilis
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| Binomial name | |
| Lophornis adorabilis Salvin, 1870
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The white-crested coquette (Lophornis adorabilis) is a tiny and beautiful hummingbird. It is known for its special white crest on its head. This amazing bird lives in the forests of Costa Rica and Panama. It belongs to a group of hummingbirds called "coquettes."
Contents
About the White-Crested Coquette
How Scientists Name Birds
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps them organize and understand nature. The white-crested coquette's scientific name is Lophornis adorabilis.
Long ago, this bird was grouped with another coquette. That was the black-crested coquette. But now, scientists agree that the white-crested coquette is unique. It is the only bird in its specific group.
What Does This Hummingbird Look Like
The white-crested coquette is very small. It is about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long. It weighs only about 2.7 grams (0.09 ounces). That's less than a penny!
Male White-Crested Coquette
The male bird is very colorful. It has a shiny, coppery-bronze forehead. Its most special feature is a white crest that stands up on its head. The back of its neck and its back are bronzy-green. A white band separates its back from its purplish-bronze rump.
Its tail is a reddish-brown color. The feathers on its tail have bronze edges. The male's throat and cheeks are a sparkling green. It also has long, wispy feathers on its cheeks. A white band separates its green throat from its reddish-brown chest and belly. Its beak is red with a black tip.
Female White-Crested Coquette
The female bird is not as bright as the male. She does not have the white crest or the wispy cheek feathers. Her face and forehead are a duller bronze color. Her throat and chest are white with green speckles.
Her tail is reddish-brown. It has a black band near the end. The top part of her beak is black. The bottom part is red with a dark tip.
Young White-Crested Coquettes
Young males look a lot like the adult females. But their throats have many green speckles. Young females look like adult females. Their tail band is just not as clear.
Where Does This Hummingbird Live
The white-crested coquette lives in southern Costa Rica. It is found on the side of the country that faces the Pacific Ocean. It also lives in the western part of Panama.
This bird likes to live inside humid forests. It also lives at the edges of these forests. You can sometimes see it in areas with more open spaces. This includes places like along hedgerows. It lives from sea level up to over 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) high.
White-Crested Coquette Behavior
How This Bird Moves Around
The white-crested coquette seems to move from place to place. It is a bit like a nomad. It stays in areas where many trees are blooming. Then, it might disappear and go somewhere else.
What This Hummingbird Eats
The white-crested coquette mostly eats nectar from flowers. It often finds nectar high up in the trees. But it also feeds at the edges of forests and in gardens. It hovers in the air to drink nectar. It also eats small insects. It picks these insects off leaves.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The white-crested coquette lays its eggs early in the dry season. This is usually between December and February.
When a male wants to find a mate, he flies in a special way. He flies back and forth in an arc. He faces the female, who might be sitting or hovering.
The female builds a cup-shaped nest. She uses soft plant material and spiderwebs. She covers the outside of the nest with lichen. The nest hangs from a branch. Nests are often in open spots. They can be as high as 18 meters (59 feet) above the ground.
The female usually lays two eggs. The young birds leave the nest about 21 to 22 days after hatching.
How This Bird Sounds
When the white-crested coquette is eating, it makes a soft, liquid "tsep" sound.
White-Crested Coquette Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) checks on animals. They say the white-crested coquette is of "Least Concern." This means it is not in immediate danger.
Scientists believe there are at least 20,000 adult birds. However, this number is slowly going down. The biggest worry for these birds is that their forest homes are being cut down. Protecting their habitat is very important for them and many other animals.
See also
In Spanish: Coqueta crestiblanca para niños
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