Is a coquette a hummingbird?

The short answer is yes, a coquette is a type of hummingbird. Coquettes are a genus of small hummingbirds found primarily in Central and South America. There are 9 recognized species of coquettes.

What is a coquette hummingbird?

Coquettes are a genus (Lophornis) of tiny hummingbirds in the trochilidae family. They are among the smallest hummingbirds, with most species being about 2.5-3 inches long and weighing 2-3 grams. Some key features of coquettes:

• Very small, reaching only 2.5-3 inches in length
• Weigh between 2-3 grams
• Males have colorful plumage, with iridescent greens, blues, yellows, oranges, and reds
• Females are duller in color
• Extremely quick and agile fliers
• Specialize in hovering and can fly backwards
• Use their long bills to feed on nectar from flowers

There are 9 recognized species of coquette hummingbirds:

As their name suggests, coquettes are active, energetic little birds that flit quickly from flower to flower. The males can be distinguished by their colorful plumage and ornamental head feathers.

How do coquettes compare to other hummingbirds?

Coquettes are part of the same taxonomic family (Trochilidae) as all other hummingbirds. Here is how they compare to some other common hummingbird types:

• Size – Coquettes are much smaller than most hummingbirds. For example, a Blue-throated Hummingbird is 4-5 inches long and weighs 4-5 grams.
• Behavior – Coquettes are especially quick and acrobatic. Whereas hummingbirds in general are nimble, coquettes are particularly active and specialized in hovering in place.
• Habitat – Coquettes tend to prefer tropical forest habitats. Many other hummingbirds can thrive in more diverse areas including temperate climates.
• Range – The range of coquettes is more limited, almost exclusively to South America and parts of southern Central America.
• Bills – Coquettes have fairly long, slender bills adapted for deep flowers.
• Color – Male coquettes have exceptionally colorful iridescent plumage, more so than many of their relatives.

Overall, while coquettes belong to the same hummingbird family, they represent a distinct group adapted to tropical forests and flowering plants. Their small size, energetic behavior, and bright plumage set them apart from other hummingbird genera.

Do coquettes have any unique features?

Coquettes have a few features that distinguish them from other types of hummingbirds:

• Extremely small size – Most species are only 2.5-3 inches long, among the tiniest of all hummingbirds
• Bright ornamental head plumes – Males of most species have colorful crests or plumes on their heads, a unique attribute of coquettes
• Long slender bills – Their bills are a bit longer and thinner than those of many other hummingbirds
• Rapid hovering ability – They have an exceptional ability to hover in place, even by hummingbird standards
• Acrobatic agility – They are very nimble and quick, more so than many relatives
• Limited ranges – Most species are regional endemics limited to small parts of South America

The combination of their tiny size, ornamental plumes, energetic behavior, and bright colors make coquettes stand out. No other genus of hummingbirds quite matches their distinctive blend of small stature, acrobatics, and vivid iridescent coloring.

Where do coquettes live?

Coquettes are found exclusively in the Americas. Here is the range for each species:

• Black-crested Coquette – Andes regions of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil
• Spangled Coquette – Western Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
• Tubercled Coquette – Andes regions of Colombia, western Venezuela
• Orange-breasted Coquette – Southwestern Colombia, western Ecuador
• White-vented Coquette – Southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia
• Green-crowned Coquette – Colombia and Ecuador
• Rufous-crested Coquette – Southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina
• Black-eared Coquette – Southwestern Ecuador
• Tufted Coquette – Trinidad and Tobago, northeastern Venezuela

Almost all species are limited to tropical regions of South America. Only the Tufted Coquette is found north of the equator. They inhabit humid tropical forests, particularly areas with plenty of flowering plants.

What do coquettes eat?

Like all hummingbirds, coquettes feed on flower nectar and small insects or spiders. Their diet consists of:

• Flower nectar – Primary food source. They use their long slender bills to drink nectar from tropical flowers.
• Small insects – Provides protein. Coquettes will eat tiny insects like gnats, aphids, mosquitoes.
• Spiderwebs – Use as a source of silk for their nests. They pick up bits of silk from webs.

Coquettes favor brightly colored tubular tropical flowers adapted to hummingbird pollination. Their slender curved bills are perfect for accessing nectar from these flowers. A few flowers they feed on include:

• Bromeliads
• Heliconias
• Passionflowers
• Coral bean
• Fuchsia

To meet their high metabolic needs, coquettes feed frequently throughout the day, visiting hundreds or even thousands of flowers. They play an important ecological role as pollinators of various tropical plant species.

How do coquettes reproduce?

Coquettes exhibit typical hummingbird breeding behaviors:

• Males display for females with aerial dances and dives.
• Females build a tiny cup-shaped nest out of plant down and spider silk.
• The nest is only about 1 inch wide and may be decorated with lichens.
• Females lay 2 pea-sized white eggs.
• The female incubates the eggs for 14-19 days until hatching.
• Chicks fledge in about 20-28 days.

Courtship displays by the colorful males are an important part of reproduction. Interestingly, the males do not participate in nest building, incubating, or raising the chicks.

Are coquettes endangered?

Most species of coquettes have relatively limited ranges, but are not considered globally threatened or endangered. The IUCN Red List conservation status for each species is:

Habitat loss in South American tropical forests does pose a threat to some species. But overall, most coquettes remain relatively widespread and not endangered currently.

Conclusion

In summary, coquettes are tiny, colorful, energetic hummingbirds endemic to tropical regions of the Americas. They belong to the diverse hummingbird family but have distinctive features like ornamental head plumes,Hovering agility, and bright iridescent plumage. Coquettes play an important role as pollinators in their specialized forest habitats. While some species are regional endemics with small ranges, most coquettes are not currently threatened with extinction.