Coquette pailletée

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Lophornis stictolophus
  • Spanish Name: Coqueta coronada
  • Famille : Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Spangled Coquette
  • Average Length: 6.4–6.9 cm / 2.5–2.7 in
  • Average Weight: 2.7–3.0 g / 0.10 oz
  • Wingspan: 9.5–10.5 cm / 3.7–4.1 in
  • Key Feature: Rufous-orange crest with black-spangled tips in males, green back, and a prominent white rump band
  • Primary Diet: Nectarivore, Insectivore
  • Range: Andean regions of western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru
  • Habitat: Humid forest edges, secondary forests, shrubby clearings, and plantations
  • Structure sociale : Solitaire
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tiny cup nest made of plant down and moss on a thin, horizontal branch
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Spangled Coquette (*Lophornis stictolophus*) is a breathtakingly tiny hummingbird native to the northern Andes of South America, celebrated for its exquisite and extravagant appearance. Measuring a mere seven centimeters in length, the male is a living jewel, featuring a brilliant, bushy rufous crest speckled with glittering black tips—the "spangles" that inspire its name—complemented by a glittering green throat and fan-like cheek tufts. While the female is more understated with her warm rufous forehead and speckled throat, both sexes possess an iridescent, coppery-green back. This diminutive marvel behaves more like a large bee than a bird, hovering with incredibly rapid wingbeats as it darts among flowering canopies to feed on nectar, making the Spangled Coquette one of the most enchanting and sought-after sightings in the avian world.

Faits amusants

This tiny marvel is a master of disguise, frequently mimicking large bees by hovering with a slow, heavy-looking flight pattern to sneak nectar from flowers without alerting larger, territorial birds. Males look like miniature punk-rockers, sporting a flamboyant, brush-like rufous crest tipped with black "spangles" and a spectacular, fan-like throat ruff that they flare out during courtship. Additionally, instead of aggressively defending a feeding territory, they are peaceful "trap-line" feeders that memorize and fly a specific daily route to visit scattered flowers.

Habitats et répartition

This species is native to northwestern South America, where its geographical range spans the eastern Andes and adjacent lowlands. It is primarily found in western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. Within this range, it is generally sedentary, though some local, seasonal movements may occur in response to the availability of flowering plants. Its preferred habitats include humid forest edges, semi-open woodland, secondary growth, and shrubby clearings. It also readily adapts to human-altered environments, frequently visiting coffee plantations, agricultural borders, and suburban gardens. This bird typically occupies the subtropical and tropical zones of foothill and lower montane regions, generally occurring at elevations between 500 and 1,800 meters.

Comportements & Reproduction

As a solitary and highly territorial species, this hummingbird is generally unsocial outside of the breeding season. It exhibits a slow, bee-like hovering flight and feeds by either trap-lining across various flowering plants or actively defending small, nectar-rich territories, though it is often subordinate to larger, more aggressive hummingbird species. Males are particularly defensive of their feeding perches, using rapid chases and vocalizations to deter intruders. During the breeding season, the species employs a polygynous mating system where males secure multiple mates through elaborate courtship displays. To attract a female, the male performs a striking aerial dance, hovering closely while flaring his brilliant rufous crest and spangled cheek tufts. Once copulation occurs, the male departs, leaving the female entirely responsible for nesting. She constructs a tiny, cup-shaped nest from plant fibers, lichens, and spider silk, in which she typically lays two small white eggs, incubating them and rearing the chicks to independence without any male assistance.

Alimentation

The Spangled Coquette feeds primarily on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, particularly flowering trees like Inga and Calliandra, as well as various shrubs and epiphytes. To supplement this sugar-rich diet with essential proteins and minerals, this tiny hummingbird actively hunts small insects and spiders, capturing them in mid-air through hawking or gleaning them directly from foliage. An interesting aspect of their foraging behavior is that, due to their diminutive size, they cannot easily defend feeding territories against larger, more aggressive hummingbirds; instead, they adopt a trap-lining strategy, flying along an established route to visit scattered flowers. Furthermore, they often employ a slow, bee-like hovering flight while feeding, which allows them to slip inconspicuously into the territories of larger birds to feed without being noticed or chased away.

Couleurs

The male Spangled Coquette features a bushy, rufous-orange crest, an iridescent green throat speckled with rufous-tipped spangles, and a metallic green back. Females are more subdued, with a spotted throat and cinnamon-rufous underparts. Both sexes share a prominent white rump band that acts as disruptive camouflage, breaking up their silhouette against forest foliage, while their glittering green upperparts mimic dappled leaves.