Buff-tailed Coronet Boissonneaua flavescens Scientific name definitions

These medium-sized hummingbirds display a cinnamon underwing in flight, and other than the bronzy central tail feathers, the tail is notably buffy. Buff-tailed Coronets inhabit humid and wet montane forests, shrubby forest borders, and dwarf forests. They are rather defensive around mid and upper level flowers in the forest, and sometimes congregate with other hummingbirds at trees in the canopy interior. They hold on to flowers when feeding and hold their wings up in a V while doing so.

11–12 cm; 7·3–8·8 g (1 Echeverry-Galvis, M. Á., S. Córdoba-Córdoba, C. A. Peraza, M. P. Baptiste, and O. A. Ahumada (2006). Body weights of 98 species of Andean cloud-forest birds. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 126(4):291–298. Close ). Bill straight, black. Male shining green above; throat and breast are shining green, remainder of underparts buff strongly marked with green discs, underwing-coverts cinnamon and conspicuous in flight; central pair of feathers in the slightly forked tail bronzy, rest buff with bronzy edges and tips; rather small leg puffs white. Sexes similar, but female has more buffy underparts, shorter wings and tail and narrower bronzy edges and tips of lateral rectrices. Immature like female but with brownish edges to rump feathers. In <em>tinochlora</em> the buff parts of plumage have a distinctive cinnamon hue, bronzy tips to tail feathers are broader than in nominate; in female and immature , tail-feather tips are only slightly narrower than in adult male .

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

• Buff-tailed x Velvet-purple Coronet (hybrid) Boissonneaua flavescens x jardini
• Buff-tailed Coronet x Empress Brilliant (hybrid) Boissonneaua flavescens x Heliodoxa imperatrix

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Throughout its quite extensive range inhabits humid and wet montane forest, cloudforest and dwarf forest and forest borders, but also open and more shrubby areas in upper subtropical and lower temperate zones, at elevations between 2000 and 3500 m.

Sedentary.

Usually feeds in middle strata but also occasionally found in canopy. Main food plants are Cavendishia, Palicourea, Disterigma and Huilaea. While feeding, typically clings to flowers rather than hovering. Frequently seen hawking for insects in long sallies from high perches , but sometimes also clings to tree trunks when gleaning insects. Has also been observed feeding at sap trees at holes made by woodpeckers. Territorial and pugnacious.

Presumed song is a continuous series of single high-pitched “tsit” notes, at a rate of c. 0·6–1 notes/second.  Also squeaky twittering, with rising piping notes and stuttering rattles, especially during social interactions.

Apr–Aug (Colombia) and Nov–Mar. Nest is cup-shaped, built mainly of moss and lichen; usually attached to branch 3–10 m above ground. Clutch size 2; incubation by female. First breeds in second year.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Rare to locally fairly common. Frequently seen along old road to Mindo (W Ecuador), with densities of at least 1–2 pairs/km². Present in La Planada Reserve (S Colombia).