Eugenes spectabilis
The Talamanca Hummingbird, *Eugenes spectabilis*, is a large, resplendent avian gem of Central America's high-altitude cloud forests. Males are undeniably striking, boasting an iridescent violet-blue crown, a deep velvety black chest contrasting with brilliant emerald-green flanks and back, and a white post-ocular spot. Females, though less flamboyant, are elegantly patterned with a green back and flanks, a grayish breast often flecked with green, and a prominent white eyebrow. Measuring appr...
Exclusively found in humid montane cloud forests, forest borders, and clearings at high elevations. Typically inhabits areas between 1,800 to 3,000 meters above sea level.
Primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of large, tubular montane forest flowers, and supplements its diet with small insects caught in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Talamanca Hummingbirds are diurnal, actively foraging for nectar and insects throughout daylight hours, often resting in shaded perches between feeding bouts. Males are intensely territorial, fiercely defending prime patches of large tubular flowers, chasing away intruders with aggressive aerial ...
The Talamanca Hummingbird is a resident species, endemic to the montane regions of Costa Rica and western Panama. Its entire distribution is confined to the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range, which stretches across the border between these two Central American nations. Within this range, it ...
Least Concern
- The Talamanca Hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute, supporting its incredibly high metabolism. - Despite its relatively large size for a hummingbird, it can enter a state of torpor on cold nights to conserve energy, drastically lowering its body temperature and metabolic ra...