Tilmatura dupontii
The Sparkling-tailed Woodstar, *Tilmatura dupontii*, is a diminutive and iridescent hummingbird, a true gem of the Central American highlands. Males are immediately recognizable by their brilliant iridescent green crown and gorget, dark blackish body, a distinctive white band across the rump, and most notably, an extraordinarily long, deeply forked tail with white tips on the outer feathers, giving it its 'sparkling' namesake. At just 7-10 cm in length (with the male's tail accounting for muc...
Inhabits montane pine-oak and evergreen forests, forest edges, clearings, and secondary growth, typically at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters.
Feeds primarily on nectar collected from a variety of tubular flowers, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage or hawked in flight.
Sparkling-tailed Woodstars are diurnal and highly active, primarily engaging in foraging throughout the day. Males are notably territorial, fiercely defending prime flowering patches from other hummingbirds and even larger insects, often perching conspicuously to survey their domain. Courtship in...
The Sparkling-tailed Woodstar is primarily distributed throughout the highlands of Mexico and northern Central America. In Mexico, its range extends from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt south through the Sierra Madre del Sur in Oaxaca and Guerrero, reaching the Chiapas highlands. Further south, i...
Least Concern
- The male Sparkling-tailed Woodstar's tail can be nearly as long as its body, making it one of the most disproportionately tailed hummingbirds. - It's one of the smallest species in the 'woodstar' group, known for their petite size and often specialized tails. - The iridescent green on the male'...