Crimson topaz hummingbirds are a species of hummingbird found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. Their vibrant ruby-red plumage and quick, darting flight make them a favorite among birdwatchers. But what exactly do these tiny birds eat to fuel their high-energy lifestyle?
Nectar
Like all hummingbirds, the crimson topaz hummingbird’s main food source is nectar from flowers. Their long, slender beaks and tongues are perfectly adapted for extracting nectar from blooms. Some of the flowers that crimson topaz hummingbirds are often seen feeding from include:
- Trumpet vine
- Fuchsia
- Salvia
- Bird of paradise
- Coral honeysuckle
- Columbine
The ruby-throated hummingbird favors red tubular flowers, which contain more concentrated nectar. They use their straw-like tongues to dart in and out of flowers, lapping up the sweet nectar.
Crimson topaz hummingbirds have very high metabolisms. To support their energetic lifestyle, they must consume more than their own body weight in nectar each day. That means visiting hundreds or even thousands of flowers daily to satisfy their extreme nectar requirements.
Insects
While nectar comprises the majority of a crimson topaz hummingbird’s diet, they also consume small insects and spiders to obtain key nutrients not found in nectar. Excellent flyers, they snatch up mosquitoes, fruit flies, gnats, aphids, and spiders mid-air or pick them off leaves and branches.
Some examples of insects and arachnids that make up part of the crimson topaz hummingbird’s diet include:
- Mosquitoes
- Flies
- Aphids
- Gnats
- Caterpillars
- Spiders
The protein gained from eating insects supports the hummingbird’s rapid metabolism and their strenuous flying habits. Insects also provide important micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, and vitamins A, E, and B.
Sugar Water Feeders
Many people who want to observe crimson topaz hummingbirds up close put out feeders filled with homemade sugar water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) near gardens or woodlands. The hummingbirds quickly become accustomed to returning to these free “nectar stations” on a regular basis.
While sugar water is not as nutritious as natural nectar, it does provide the hummingbirds with a concentrated source of energy. Just be sure to change the mixture frequently to prevent mold growth.
Fruit
Occasionally, crimson topaz hummingbirds will supplement their diet with tree sap and fruit. They have been observed feeding on bananas and grapes hanging in gardens or skewering ripe mangoes. The sugars in fruit provide quick energy.
Minerals
An unusual but important component of the crimson topaz hummingbird’s diet is minerals obtained from lichens and chewing on small stones. The minerals in lichens include iron and magnesium. The stones provide salts and grit that aid digestion.
Feeding Behavior
Crimson topaz hummingbirds have some interesting feeding behaviors and adaptations that allow them to thrive on their high-energy diet:
- They eat frequently throughout the day, visiting hundreds or thousands of flowers.
- Their wings beat up to 70 times per second, allowing excellent maneuverability.
- They can hover in mid-air and fly backwards using specialized shoulder joints.
- They have excellent color vision and are drawn to red tubular flowers.
- Their long, specially adapted tongues dart in and out of flowers to lap up nectar.
- They aggressively defend flower territories from other hummingbirds.
Digestion Adaptations
Crimson topaz hummingbirds have special digestive adaptations that allow them to live on their high-sugar diet:
- They have an enlarged liver relative to their size to efficiently process sugars.
- They can metabolize sugars very rapidly to avoid high blood sugar levels.
- They produce very dilute urine to excrete excess water from nectar.
- Their kidneys are very efficient at retaining essential nutrients and electrolytes.
Role in Pollination
While feeding on nectar, crimson topaz hummingbirds play an important ecological role as pollinators. As they move from flower to flower accessing nectar, pollen sticks to their heads and bellies. When they visit the next flower, some of this pollen rubs off onto the stigma of the new plant, pollinating it. Plants adapted to pollination by hummingbirds often have red, tubular flowers.
Because of their small size, hummingbirds can pollinate flowers that bees and other insects cannot. Their hovering ability allows them to precisely access nectar without damaging delicate petals. Dependence on hummingbird pollination has led some tropical plants to evolve bright colors, tubular flower shapes, and flowering times during hummingbird migration.
By pollinating tropical plants as they eat, crimson topaz hummingbirds support biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem.
Geographic Range
Crimson topaz hummingbirds range from Mexico south through Central America into Bolivia and central Brazil. They reside in tropical forests, woodlands, and mangroves. During certain times of year, some populations migratenorth along the Pacific coast up through Mexico.
Some specific countries and regions where crimson topaz hummingbirds can be found include:
- Mexico
- Belize
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Venezuela
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Brazil
Within their range, they occur in both wet tropical forests as well as drier deciduous forests, woodlands, and scrublands. They can also sometimes be spotted in gardens or parks, accessing ornamental flowers and feeders.
Habitat and Ecosystem Role
Crimson topaz hummingbirds play an important role in their tropical ecosystem as pollinators. By accessing nectar from tropical flowers, they pollinate plants such as:
- Orchids
- Bromeliads
- Passionflowers
- heliconias
- Ginger lilies
This pollination allows these signature tropical plants to produce seeds and fruits and propagate. Without hummingbird pollinators, many specialized plant species would decline.
In return, the plants provide food in the form of nectar for the hummingbirds. This interdependency is a classic example of how pollinators and plants evolve together in a symbiotic manner.
Crimson topaz hummingbirds also play a role in controlling insect populations. By eating mosquitos, gnats, aphids, and other small bugs, they help keep these populations in balance.
Conservation Status
Crimson topaz hummingbirds remain a fairly common species throughout their habitat range. They are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
However, habitat loss in Central and South America due to deforestation is impacting some populations. The species has disappeared from some disturbed areas where its feeding plants have declined. Keeping tropical forests intact is key to maintaining healthy populations.
Sugar water feeders, gardens with native plants, and protected parks and reserves can help provide habitat and food sources. Choosing tropical timber and palm oil products certified as sustainable also reduces pressure on hummingbird habitat.
Interesting Facts
- Crimson topaz hummingbirds get their common name from the male’s brilliant reddish-orange plumage, resembling a flashing topaz gemstone.
- They have incredibly fast metabolism—at rest, their hearts can beat up to 500 times per minute.
- Their wings can beat up to 70 times per second and they can fly at speeds over 30 mph.
- They are famous for their dramatic courtship displays, with males flying fast vertical figure-8 patterns to impress females.
- Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.
- Their feet are so weak they can barely walk. They prefer to perch on branches and vines.
- They build tiny cups of moss, lichen, and spiderwebs to house their eggs.
- Crimson topaz hummingbirds live an average of 3 to 5 years in the wild.
Conclusion
With their jewel-colored plumage and dizzying flight, crimson topaz hummingbirds are always a delight to observe in the wild. These tiny birds have mastered the art of fueling their hyperactive lifestyles on a diet of nectar, insects, and sugar water. Their vital role as pollinators of tropical flowering plants makes them an essential part of a healthy rainforest ecosystem.
