Here at our Costa Rican mountain retreat, mornings are a symphony of sound. Birdsong fills the crisp air, a chorus of chirps, tweets, and whistles that paint the soundtrack to your rainforest awakening. Among these feathered performers, the Blue-vented Hummingbird is a dazzling jewel, a flicker of emerald flitting between vibrant blooms.
A Glittering Gem
The Blue-vented Hummingbird, also known as the Steely-vented Hummingbird, is a tiny titan. These birds measure a mere 8 to 11 centimeters (3.1 to 4.3 inches) in length, yet their presence is anything but diminished. Males sport a dazzling plumage. Their upperparts shimmer with an iridescent golden-green sheen, while their rumps and uppertail coverts boast a fiery coppery or purplish hue. The underparts are a spectacle in themselves – a dark, glittering golden-green that transitions to stunning greenish-blue undertail coverts. The finishing touch? A sleek, pale steel-blue tail that’s slightly forked, adding a touch of elegance to their rapid movements.
Females, while lacking the males’ flamboyant iridescence, are no less beautiful. They share the same basic color scheme, but their greens are more subdued, particularly on the lower breast and belly. This subtle difference allows for easy identification between the sexes.
A Life on the Wing
The Blue-vented Hummingbird is a creature of the semi-open spaces. They favor scrublands, savannas, the edges of mature forests, secondary forests, and even gardens. Our mountain retreat provides the perfect habitat, with its pockets of clearings and abundant flowering plants. These feathered dynamos are most at ease in drier areas, though they readily adapt to moister environments during the dry season. Their altitudinal range is impressive, stretching from sea level all the way up to a cool 1,800 meters (5,900 feet).
Spotting a Blue-vented Hummingbird is a delight. They’re typically solitary feeders, flitting from flower to flower with astonishing agility. Their wings beat at an incredible pace, a blur that allows them to hover mid-air as they sip nectar with their long, slender bills. Watching them is a mesmerizing display of aerial acrobatics.
Keep an Eye Out!
The Blue-vented Hummingbird is a resident breeder in Costa Rica, found from the southern reaches of Nicaragua to the central parts of our country. So, on your next visit to our mountain retreat, keep your eyes peeled for these emerald gems. They might be tiny, but their vibrant colors and dazzling aerial displays will leave a lasting impression.
Here are some tips for spotting Blue-vented Hummingbirds:
- Early mornings and late afternoons are prime feeding times.
- Look for brightly colored flowers, especially tubular ones like hibiscus and heliconias.
- Listen for their high-pitched buzzing as they hover near flowers.
- Observe the forest edges, shrubbery, and gardens.
With a little patience and these handy pointers, you might just be lucky enough to witness the captivating Blue-vented Hummingbird, a tiny wonder that adds to the magic of Costa Rica’s biodiversity.
For more information, please view our comprehensive guide about the birds of Costa Rica
