Indigo-capped Hummingbird Saucerottia cyanifrons Scientific name definitions

This Colombian endemic is rather territorial and defends its feeding territories from use by hummingbirds and other nectarivorous birds. It spends the majority of its foraging time in the upper levels of the forest and sometimes congregates at flowering trees where it bickers with other species. Indigo-capped Hummingbirds live in open woodlands, borders of subtropical wet forests, shrubby clearings, dry open habitats, gardens, and cultivated areas in the foothills and lower highlands. Although typically found at 1000-2000 meters, these hummingbirds sometimes venture lower during the breeding season. Both sexes have a vibrant blue crown and a bronzy rump.

7–10 cm; 5 g. Male has straight, medium-sized, blackish bill, with basal third of mandible fleshy red; crown indigo-blue; upperparts shining green with bronze to coppery gloss on rump; underparts glittering golden green; undertail-coverts bordered whitish, coloration of feather centres varying from bronze-green to dark brownish or bluish; uppertail-coverts with bronze or copper tinge, becoming dark blue to bluish black towards tail; tail slightly forked, rectrices glittering deep steel blue. Female fairly similar but crown more turquoise-blue towards the neck; throat feathers with greyish subterminal bars. Juvenile resembles female in crown; belly greyer.

Sometimes placed in genus Saucerottia. Closely related to S. saucerottei. A certain amount of taxonomic confusion has resulted mainly from occurrence of differing phenotypes. Previously included A. alfaroana. A melanistic variety formerly called “Eriocnemis incultus” or “A. nunezi” refers to present species; the specimens concerned have also been erroneously considered aberrant individuals of A. viridigaster. Monotypic.

Edges of subtropical wet forest as well as drier, open habitats with bushes; also found in plantations and gardens. Commonest between 1000 m and 2000 m, but down to 400 m in breeding season; rarely up to 3000 m. Post-breeding birds occur occasionally in tropical lowlands at sea-level.

Occasional occurrence in the Pacific lowlands suggests altitudinal migration tied to seasonal availability of food plants.

Forages for nectar and small arthropods at various heights, but usually in upper strata. Sometimes gathers in some numbers at flowering Inga and Erythrina trees. Other recorded feeding plants are trees and shrubs such as Eugenia and Hamelia and epiphytes like Guzmania; prefers solitary trees. Hunts for insects in the more open canopy region by sallying from perches; rarely gleans arthropods from leaves. Territorial, defending feeding places against other trochilids or nectarivorous species like Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola); dominance over U. franciae has been observed.

Song a repeated buzzy, squeaky phrase “tzuk-keee ... tsrp”. Calls include a high, sharp “tsit”, sometimes given in sputtering series.

Data on gonadal activity indicate season probably Apr–Jul; nest-building also recorded until Aug. Nest resembles that of congeners; cup-like, made of moss, lichens and cobweb. Clutch two white eggs; incubation by female; no data exist on duration of incubation or fledging.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Generally uncommon to locally common resident of semi-open woodland. Status not well known, but wide altitudinal range, combined with apparent adaptability to man-made habitats, suggests species is relatively secure at present.