Velvet-purple Coronet Boissonneaua jardini Scientific name definitions

The Velvet-purple Coronet is a particularly beautiful large hummingbird of humid forest along the pacific slope of the Andes in northwest Ecuador (occasionally south to El Oro province), and southwest Colombia. The Velvet-purple Coronet can appear all dark in low light, but glows magnificently when seen well; with a black hood and an iridescent blue-purple body with green to the coverts and large white patches in the outer rectrices. Though unique enough in plumage, the Velvet-purple Coronet has the curious habit of holding its wings straight up for a brief moment after perching, showing its chestnut axillaries. This species is attracted to hummingbird feeders, but can also be seen foraging on flowers at or near the canopy of primary forest, tall secondary forest, and forest edges.

11–12·7 cm (1 Restall, R., C. Rodner, and M. Lentino (2006). Birds of Northern South America: An Identification Guide. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 8·0–8·5 g. Bill straight, black. Male shining bluish-green above with head and throat velvety black; crown, breast and belly glittering purplish-blue; underwing-coverts cinnamon and conspicuous in flight; tail slightly forked, central feathers black, the rest white with black tips and edges; small leg puffs also white. Female similar but duller in coloration, with feathers of breast and belly broadly fringed buff to greyish brown (2 Schuchmann, K.-L., Weller, A.-A. and Heynen, I. (2001). Biogeography and geographic variation of the Andean hummingbird taxon Boissonneaua Reichenbach, 1854 (Aves: Trochilidae). Orn. Neotropical. 12(2): 93-108. Close ); wings are shorter (68·4–73·1 mm versus 73·3–78·9 mm) (2 Schuchmann, K.-L., Weller, A.-A. and Heynen, I. (2001). Biogeography and geographic variation of the Andean hummingbird taxon Boissonneaua Reichenbach, 1854 (Aves: Trochilidae). Orn. Neotropical. 12(2): 93-108. Close ) and tail less deeply forked than in male (marked by the much shorter outer rectrix, 41·9–46·3 mm versus 46·8–51·7 mm) (2 Schuchmann, K.-L., Weller, A.-A. and Heynen, I. (2001). Biogeography and geographic variation of the Andean hummingbird taxon Boissonneaua Reichenbach, 1854 (Aves: Trochilidae). Orn. Neotropical. 12(2): 93-108. Close ). Juvenile like female, but greyish-brown coloration extends also onto flanks (2 Schuchmann, K.-L., Weller, A.-A. and Heynen, I. (2001). Biogeography and geographic variation of the Andean hummingbird taxon Boissonneaua Reichenbach, 1854 (Aves: Trochilidae). Orn. Neotropical. 12(2): 93-108. Close ).

• Buff-tailed x Velvet-purple Coronet (hybrid) Boissonneaua flavescens x jardini

Pacific slope of W Andes in SW Colombia (Cerro Tatamá, in S Chocó, S to Nariño) and NW Ecuador (Pichincha).

Prefers wet mossy forests and forest borders in tropical and subtropical zones, but can also be found at shrubby clearings in Pacific lowlands and on lower slopes. Records range from 350 to 2200 m (800–1700 m in Ecuador) (3 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1–2. Comstock Publishing Associates/Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ), commonest above 1200 m.

Sedentary, but seasonal altitudinal dispersal known in Colombia.

Territorial, usually seen feeding at flowers from lower strata to treetops. Insects are caught in the air by hawking. No further information.

Courtship song reported to be series of alternating harsh and soft whistles, “si, siii, si, siii, si, siii...” (4 Ruschi, A. (1973). Beija-flores (Hummingbirds). Museu de Biologia Prof. Mello Leitão, Santa Teresa, Brazil. Close ).

Season stated to be Jan–Mar, but recent observations in SW Colombia involve a nest with young in early Sept and nest-building in early Jul (5 Strewe, R. (2001). Notes on nests and breeding activity of fourteen bird species from southwestern Colombia. Ornitología Neotropical 12(3):265–269. Close ). Nest cup-shaped, decorated with moss and lichen on outside (5 Strewe, R. (2001). Notes on nests and breeding activity of fourteen bird species from southwestern Colombia. Ornitología Neotropical 12(3):265–269. Close ), placed on a horizontal branch or thin fork, once c. 10·5 m above ground in the canopy of a Clusia sp. (Clusiaceae) tree (5 Strewe, R. (2001). Notes on nests and breeding activity of fourteen bird species from southwestern Colombia. Ornitología Neotropical 12(3):265–269. Close ). Clutch size two eggs; incubation by female; at nest with young, brought food five times in c. 20 minutes (5 Strewe, R. (2001). Notes on nests and breeding activity of fourteen bird species from southwestern Colombia. Ornitología Neotropical 12(3):265–269. Close ). First breeding in second year. No further information.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Restricted-range species: present in Chocó EBA. Uncommon and very local, most frequently found in the area around the type locality in NW Ecuador . Comparatively few Colombian records, mostly from S Nariño, where regularly recorded in protected areas, notably La Planada and Río Nambi Reserves.