Florisuga mellivora
The White-necked Jacobin (*Florisuga mellivora*) is a medium-sized, strikingly plumaged hummingbird, measuring around 11.5-12 cm (4.5-4.7 in) and weighing 6.3-9.5 g (0.22-0.34 oz). Males boast an iridescent blue-green head and upperparts, a brilliant white band across the nape, and immaculate white underparts, complemented by a mostly white tail, often with dark tips on the central feathers depending on subspecies. Females are similar but may exhibit green flecking or mottling on their flanks...
Found in tropical and subtropical lowlands, inhabiting humid evergreen forests, forest edges, clearings, and cultivated areas from sea level up to approximately 1500 meters.
Primarily feeds on nectar from a diverse array of flowering plants, supplementing its diet with small insects and spiders hawked in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Active during daylight hours, the White-necked Jacobin exhibits classic hummingbird trap-lining behavior, visiting a circuit of nectar-producing flowers, but also aggressively defends preferred feeding territories against other hummingbirds and even larger insects. Males often display from conspi...
The White-necked Jacobin is a widespread resident species found from southern Mexico, particularly the Yucatán Peninsula, south through Central America (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and extensively across northern and central South America. Its range encompasses Col...
Least Concern
- The name 'Jacobin' refers to the white collar worn by Dominican friars, which resembles the bird's distinctive white nape band. - It is one of the larger, more robust hummingbirds found in its range, often dominating feeders. - Males are highly territorial, aggressively chasing away other hummi...