Coquette de Popelaire

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Discosura popelairii
  • Spanish Name: Rabudito crestado
  • Famille : Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Popelaire's Thorntail, Wire-crested Coquette
  • Average Length: 7.5–11.4 cm / 3.0–4.5 in
  • Average Weight: 2.5 g / 0.09 oz
  • Wingspan: 8–10 cm / 3.1–3.9 in
  • Key Feature: Elongated, wire-thin crest feathers on the crown and a deeply forked, needle-thin tail in males
  • Primary Diet: Nectarivore (Nectar and small insects)
  • Range: Eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
  • Habitat: Canopy and edges of humid montane and submontane forests
  • Structure sociale : Solitaire
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cup nest made of plant down and lichen, built high on slender tree branches
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Wire-crested Thorntail (*Discosura popelairii*) is a mesmerizing, pint-sized hummingbird native to the humid forests of the Andes, renowned for its dramatic and almost insect-like appearance. The male of this species is a visual marvel, sporting a glittering coppery-green body, a brilliant emerald throat, and a spectacular crest of long, wire-thin feathers that rise elegantly from its head. Its most defining feature, however, is its namesake tail: an incredibly long, deeply forked, and needle-thin appendage that trails behind it like delicate black thorns. Often mistaken for a large bee or sphinx moth due to its tiny size and rapid, buzzing flight style, this agile pollinator also features a distinctive white band across its lower back, making it one of the most enchanting and uniquely adorned jewels of the avian world.

Faits amusants

This tiny powerhouse weighs less than a penny yet sports a spectacular, iridescent green head crest of hair-like feathers that it can raise at will, alongside an absurdly long, deeply forked tail with wire-thin tips. To survive among larger, aggressive hummingbirds, it employs a clever "stealth mode" by hovering with its tail cocked nearly vertical to mimic a large bee or sphinx moth, allowing it to sneak nectar undetected. During courtship, males take this eccentricity to the next level, performing dramatic aerial acrobatics where they frantically whip their long tail feathers and shake their crests to woo females.

Habitats et répartition

This species is native to the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains in South America, spanning a geographical range that stretches from southern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. Within this region, it is typically restricted to narrow elevational bands along the Andean foothills, where it remains a resident throughout the year. It primarily inhabits humid subtropical and tropical montane forests, forest edges, and tall second-growth woodlands. This hummingbird is most commonly active in the forest canopy and sub-canopy, where it searches for flowering trees, and is generally found at elevations ranging between 500 and 1,500 meters above sea level.

Comportements & Reproduction

Characterized by a solitary and highly territorial nature, this species spends most of its time high in the forest canopy, where it is often observed hovering like a large insect while feeding on nectar or hawking for small insects. It does not form cohesive social groups, and individuals actively defend feeding territories from competitors. Interaction between genders is brief and limited almost exclusively to mating. During the breeding season, males engage in a polygynous mating system, utilizing their striking wire-like crests and elongated, deeply forked tail feathers in dramatic aerial displays to attract multiple females. Once fertilization is complete, the male departs, leaving the female solely responsible for reproduction. She constructs a delicate, cup-shaped nest out of plant down, moss, and spider silk high in the branches, where she incubates a clutch of typically two eggs and rears the chicks independently.

Alimentation

The Wire-crested Thorntail (*Discosura popelairii*) sustains itself primarily on a diet of nutrient-rich floral nectar, supplemented by small insects and spiders which provide essential proteins. It targets a variety of flowering plants, particularly canopy trees such as *Inga* and *Calliandra*, as well as various epiphytes and shrubs. An intriguing aspect of its feeding strategy is its stealthy foraging behavior; due to its extremely small size, it often acts as a "low-profile" feeder, quietly slipping into the territories of larger, highly aggressive hummingbirds to feed without being detected. While feeding on nectar, this hummingbird exhibits a highly distinctive posture, hovering with its body held horizontally while its long, wire-like tail is cocked almost vertically. To capture insects, it employs a technique called hawking, darting out to snatch tiny flies and wasps mid-air, or gleaning them directly from the undersides of leaves.

Couleurs

The male Wire-crested Thorntail boasts a brilliant iridescent green crest and throat, coppery-green upperparts, a black belly, a distinctive white rump band, and a deeply forked, wire-like steel-blue tail. Females are crestless, featuring coppery-green backs, a white cheek stripe against dark underparts, and a similar white rump band. Their tiny size, dark underparts, and hovering, insect-like flight serve as camouflage, allowing them to blend into the dappled canopy and mimic large bees to deter predators.