Purple-crowned Fairy
Status: Common Resident
Size: Medium-sized Hummingbird (10 - 12 cm)
IUCN Red-List Status: Least Concern
Stratum: Understory, Mid Canopy, High Canopy
Life Zone(s): South Pacific Lowlands, Caribbean Lowlands
TAXONOMIC TREE: Caprimulgiformes, Trochilidae, Heliothryx barroti
*@ Arenal Peninsula road shortcut to dam, Alajuela, Costa Rica
The Purple-crowned Fairy (Heliothryx barroti) is a flashy, rather large hummingbird of humid tropical lowlands. It favors forest edges, adjacent clearings with scattered trees and flowering bushes, and gardens. Feeds at all levels, but often in the canopy, hovering with its tail cocked and frequently flashed open to show extensive white. Note the gleaming snow-white underparts, brilliant emerald-green upperparts, and flashy white outer tail feathers. Bill is medium-length, black, and sharply pointed (often pierces flower bases to get nectar).
Purple-crowned Fairy Distribution Map (from eBird)
PHOTO GALLERY
@ PN Tikal - hotel Jungle Lodge; Petén District; Guatemala
@ PN Tikal - hotel Jungle Lodge; Petén District; Guatemala
@ Arenal Peninsula road shortcut to dam, Alajuela, Costa Rica
<< Lesser Nighthawk <<|>> White-necked Jacobin >>
*Some of this website's species' photos (all taken by me) may have been taken in other nearby countries.