The emerald-chinned hummingbird (Abeillia abeillei) is a species of hummingbird found in Costa Rica and western Panama. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and heavily degraded former forest. Here is a quick overview of the emerald-chinned hummingbird’s habitat requirements:
Where is the emerald-chinned hummingbird found?
The emerald-chinned hummingbird is endemic to Costa Rica and western Panama. Its range is quite restricted, limited to the Pacific lowlands from central Costa Rica to western Panama. Within this range, it occupies both dry and wet forest habitats at elevations up to 1200 m.
What is the climate like where emerald-chinned hummingbirds live?
The climate where emerald-chinned hummingbirds are found is tropical, characterized by warm temperatures year-round. Daytime highs average between 25-30°C. It receives high rainfall, exceeding 4000 mm annually in parts of its Costa Rican range. There is a distinct wet season from May to November when the majority of rain falls.
What types of habitat do emerald-chinned hummingbirds use?
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds are most often found in lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen tropical forests. They occur in both wet and dry forest types. They are also found along forest edges and in adjacent areas with secondary growth. Within primary forest, they preferentially forage in natural gaps and clearings, along river courses, and in other open or semi-open areas.
Primary tropical wet forest
In wet lowland tropical forests, emerald-chinned hummingbirds often forage along forest edges and natural gaps where flowering plants are more abundant. They use the forest interior to a lesser degree but may traverse it when moving between foraging sites.
Primary tropical dry forest
In drier tropical forests, emerald-chinned hummingbirds are strongly associated with riparian corridors. They forage primarily along streams and rivers where flowering plant diversity and production are highest.
Secondary forest and scrub
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds readily use disturbed areas with secondary forest growth. They are common in semi-open scrub habitat and along forest edges adjacent to clearings. These disturbed habitats provide a proliferation of flowers.
What natural features are part of emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat?
Key natural features that comprise emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat include:
- An abundance of flowering plants – Emerald-chinned hummingbirds are trapliners, regularly visiting favorite flowering plants.
- A complex vegetation structure – They occur in forests with multiple canopy layers and shrubs which provide sites for feeding and nesting.
- Water sources – Proximity to streams, rivers, or other water sources where flowering plant diversity is highest.
- Some forest openings – Natural gaps, clearings, forest edges that allow growth of flowering plants.
- Nesting sites – Most nests are placed in small trees or shrubs 2-7 m above ground.
What kinds of plants are found in emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat?
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds inhabit areas with a rich assemblage of flowering plants that provide nectar. Some of the key plant species found in their habitat include:
Plant Family | Genera | Species Examples |
---|---|---|
Bromeliaceae (bromeliads) | Guzmania, Aechmea, Tillandsia | Guzmania wittmackii, Aechmea magdalenae |
Rubiaceae (madders, coffee) | Hamelia, Psychotria | Hamelia axillaris, Psychotria nervosa |
Heliconiaceae (heliconias) | Heliconia | Heliconia imbricata, Heliconia latispatha |
In addition to these and other flowering plant families, emerald-chinned hummingbirds will visit a wide variety of ornamental plants and fruiting trees around human settlements.
How do emerald-chinned hummingbirds use different habitat components?
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds utilize different components of their habitat in distinct ways:
Foraging habitat
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds forage primarily in areas of their habitat with concentrations of flowering plants, including forest gaps, edges, streamsides, and secondary growth. They regularly visit favorite feeding locations.
Nesting habitat
Nests are built on small, horizontal branches of trees or shrubs 2-7 m above ground. Mangos and ornamental palms are frequently used near human habitation. Within forest, small understory and subcanopy trees are preferred.
Perching and roosting sites
Low exposed perches are used for resting between foraging bouts. Roost sites at night are often along rivers or forest edges, sometimes communal with other hummingbird species.
Forest interior
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds traverse primary forest to travel between foraging locations but use the interior less for actual feeding.
How does emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat use vary seasonally?
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds demonstrate some seasonal differences in habitat use:
- Wet season – During the rainy season, birds forage more extensively in primary forest interior following the flowering of understory herbs.
- Dry season – In the dry season, birds are more closely tied to riparian corridors and areas of secondary growth where flowers concentrate.
- Breeding season – Nest sites are concentrated in specific habitat features during the breeding season from March to May.
- Non-breeding season – At other times of year, birds are not constrained by proximity to optimal nesting habitat.
How do emerald-chinned hummingbirds respond to habitat modification?
Emerald-chinned hummingbirds tolerate and may benefit from some types of habitat modification:
- Selective logging – Logging that opens the forest canopy and creates gaps benefits the species by allowing growth of pioneer plants.
- Forest edges – Birds readily exploit flowers that grow along natural and human-created forest edges.
- Secondary forest – Abundant in disturbed areas with regrowth and scrub habitats.
- Ornamental plantings – Drawn to feed on cultivated flowers and ornamentals around rural homes.
However, emerald-chinned hummingbirds are still dependent on intact primary forest and avoid large deforested areas and extensive fragmentation.
How does emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat use differ from other hummingbirds?
Compared to other hummingbirds, some key habitat differences of emerald-chinned hummingbirds include:
- Narrow elevation range – Occurs only in lowlands below 1200 m, unlike many montane hummingbird species.
- Forest association – Dependent on tropical forests whereas some hummingbirds inhabit more open environments.
- Dry forest use – More adapted to drier forest types than most hummingbird species in Central America which prefer wet forests.
- Disturbance tolerance – More tolerant of habitat modification than most other hummingbirds.
What conservation issues affect emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat?
Some major conservation issues that threaten emerald-chinned hummingbird habitat are:
- Deforestation – Logging, clearing for agriculture, development, etc. Destroys forest habitat.
- Fragmentation – Isolation of forest fragments may limit dispersal and reduce genetic connectivity.
- Climate change – Rising temperatures and altered precipitation regimes could affect forest composition and flowering cycles.
- Nest disturbance – High rates of nest predation by animals and disturbance by humans.
Habitat loss is the primary threat facing the species. Protecting intact forest blocks is therefore critical for conservation of the emerald-chinned hummingbird.
Conclusion
In summary, the emerald-chinned hummingbird is found in lowland tropical forests of Costa Rica and Panama, mainly on the Pacific slope. It occurs in both wet and drier forest types, foraging primarily along forest edges, in gaps and clearings, and near watercourses where flowers concentrate. Some habitat modification is tolerated but extensive deforestation threatens the species. Protecting healthy forest habitat with plenty of flowering plants and nesting sites is key for the conservation of the emerald-chinned hummingbird.