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Velvet-purple Coronet Boissonneaua jardini Scientific name definitions

Iris Heynen and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated February 24, 2013

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Introduction

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.

Field Identification

11–12·7 cm (1); 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); wings are shorter (68·4–73·1 mm versus 73·3–78·9 mm) (2) 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). Juvenile like female, but greyish-brown coloration extends also onto flanks (2).

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Hybridization

Hybrid Records and Media Contributed to eBird

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

Distribution

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

Habitat

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), commonest above 1200 m.

Movement

Sedentary, but seasonal altitudinal dispersal known in Colombia.

Diet and Foraging

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

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Courtship song reported to be series of alternating harsh and soft whistles, “si, siii, si, siii, si, siii...” (4).

Breeding

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). Nest cup-shaped, decorated with moss and lichen on outside (5), 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). Clutch size two eggs; incubation by female; at nest with young, brought food five times in c. 20 minutes (5). 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.

Distribution of the Velvet-purple Coronet - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Velvet-purple Coronet

Recommended Citation

Heynen, I. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Velvet-purple Coronet (Boissonneaua jardini), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.vepcor1.01