Saucerottia cyanocephala
The Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanocephala) is a medium-sized and strikingly beautiful avian jewel found in the highlands of Mexico and Central America. Males are characterized by a brilliant metallic emerald green body, flanks, and throat, contrasting sharply with a pristine white belly and vent. Its most distinctive feature, and the origin of its name, is the iridescent violet-blue to azure-blue crown, which can shimmer with purplish hues depending on the light. The tail is dus...
Primarily inhabits humid to semi-arid pine-oak forests, evergreen cloud forests, and shade coffee plantations. It is typically found at elevations between 900-2,500 meters (3,000-8,200 feet).
Feeds primarily on nectar from a diverse array of flowering plants, securing essential sugars for its high metabolism. This is significantly supplemented by small insects and spiders, which provide crucial protein.
Active during daylight hours, the Azure-crowned Hummingbird is largely solitary, often roosting in dense vegetation. It forages for nectar by expertly hovering at various flowers, sometimes following established trap-lines, and actively defends rich floral patches from other hummingbirds and even...
The Azure-crowned Hummingbird is widely distributed across the mountainous regions of Mexico and Central America, primarily as a resident species with altitudinal migratory tendencies. Its breeding range extends from central and southern Mexico, encompassing states such as Jalisco, San Luis Potos...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *Saucerottia cyanocephala*, translates to 'Saucerotte's blue-headed' hummingbird, honoring French ornithologist Antoine-François Saucerotte. - The brilliant blue of its crown is not due to pigment but to structural coloration, where microscopic barbules on the feathers scat...