Costa Rica is a bird watcher’s paradise, with over 900 species of birds found across the country. Among these are over 50 species of hummingbirds, which come in a dazzling array of colors and sizes. While most hummingbird species in Costa Rica are relatively common, there are a few that stand out as particularly rare and elusive. Tracking down these rare hummingbirds takes patience, skill, and often a bit of luck. But for dedicated birders, the opportunity to observe one of these unique birds makes the effort worthwhile. Here we’ll look at Costa Rica’s rarest hummingbirds and what makes them so unique.
Scintillant Hummingbird
One of the rarest hummingbirds in Costa Rica is the Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla). This diminutive hummingbird is found only in a very small area of high elevation cloud forest in Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains. At just 3.5 inches long and weighing 2-3 grams, it is one of the smallest birds in the world.
The Scintillant Hummingbird has specialized habitat needs. It lives exclusively in mature, montane oak forest above 7,200 feet in elevation. This specific habitat provides the flowers and insect food sources that this tiny bird depends on. As its habitat has declined due to logging and development, the Scintillant Hummingbird’s population numbers have dropped dramatically. There are estimated to be less than 1,000 individuals left.
The Scintillant Hummingbird aptly gets its name from its dazzling plumage. The male has feathers that shine and shimmer in hues of green, blue, and purple. Depending on the light, the colors appear to change. This iridescent sheen is one of the rarest plumage types among hummingbirds. In comparison, the female Scintillant Hummingbird has light grey plumage which lacks iridescence. She can be very difficult to distinguish from other grey-colored high elevation hummingbird species.
Unique Traits
In addition to its specialized habitat needs and rare plumage, the Scintillant Hummingbird has a few other unique adaptations:
– High elevation existence – Its high altitude range is rare not just in Costa Rica but across the Americas. Most hummingbirds are tropical lowland species.
– Low temperatures – It can tolerate overnight temperatures close to freezing, unusual for hummingbirds.
– Long beak – Its long narrow beak, slightly decurved, is specialized for accessing certain high altitude flowers.
– Aggressive behavior – Males are very territorial and aggressive, vigorously defending their small breeding territories.
– Nectar robber – While most hummingbirds access nectar through legitimate visits to flowers, the Scintillant often pierces bases of flowers to steal nectar. This is called “nectar robbing.”
– Swift flight – Its flight is unusually swift, rapid, and direct compared to other hummingbirds.
Conservation Status
Due to its microscopically tiny population and extremely limited habitat, the Scintillant Hummingbird is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Its population continues to decline as remaining habitat is lost. Expanding agricultural plots, pine plantations, and climate change all threaten the small remaining areas capable of supporting Scintillant Hummingbirds.
Conservation efforts are underway, including habitat restoration and acquisition of private lands to add to protected areas. Eco-tourism focused on birders who wish to see rare species like the Scintillant Hummingbird may also generate funds and interest in protecting remaining populations. But this rare bird remains on the knife’s edge of extinction in Costa Rica.
Mangrove Hummingbird
Another Costa Rican hummingbird that makes the list as one of the country’s rarest is the Mangrove Hummingbird (Amazilia boucardi). True to its name, this species is found along mangrove-lined rivers and coastlines of Costa Rica’s Nicoya and Osa Peninsulas. It is rarely observed more than one kilometer from mangrove forest habitat.
Like the Scintillant Hummingbird, the Mangrove Hummingbird has an extremely limited range. In Costa Rica it is found only on the pacific coast. Its total global population is tiny, estimated at 600-1,500 mature individuals.
The preferred habitat of Mangrove Hummingbird is mature mangrove forest of Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) where it often perches in low branches over water courses. It feeds on nectar from mangrove flowers and insects that it gleans from foliage along rivers and swamps.
The Mangrove Hummingbird’s conservation status is currently Vulnerable. Costa Rica lost approximately 50% of its mangrove habitat between 1960 and 1990. Remaining habitat continues to be threatened by coastal development for tourism and agriculture. Precise population estimates are uncertain but unlikely to exceed a few hundred pairs in Costa Rica.
Appearance
The Mangrove Hummingbird is a relatively large hummingbird, measuring 4.3 inches long. The male has a mostly burnt orange color on his head, neck, back, and breast with a blackish mask through the eyes. The lower belly is grey-white. Females lack the burnt orange coloring, instead appearing white on the underside with greenish olive coloring on the back. Both males and females have an iridescent emerald gorget (throat patch). The long black bill is slightly decurved.
Behavior
Unlike most other hummingbirds, the Mangrove Hummingbird is non-territorial. Males and females form loose flocks. They have a fast and direct flight pattern typical of hummingbirds. One unique aspect of their feeding behavior is that they rob nectar by poking holes in flowers with their bills rather than feeding legitimately.
Black-Crested Coquette
The Black-crested Coquette (Lophornis helenae) is tied for the smallest bird in the world, and it is critically endangered. This tiny hummingbird is extremely rare in Costa Rica. Found only in a small area in the highlands of Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains, near Cerro de la Muerte, its entire range is less than 500 square kilometers.
Males of this species measure just 2 inches long and weigh only 2 grams. They have a bright red head, gold and green scaled plumage on the back, and a spike-like double crest that gives the Black-Crested Coquette its name. Females are slightly larger and lack the ornamental crests and red head patch.
The Black-Crested Coquette’s habitat is humid broadleaf forest and elfin forests at elevations of 9,000-11,500 ft. It occupies an extremely narrow niche, making it vulnerable to climate changes or habitat loss.
Fewer than 250 mature Black-crested Coquettes are thought to remain in the wild. Due to its tiny population and range, several conservation organizations have the Black-crested Coquette on their “top 10 most endangered birds” lists. Habitat preservation will be crucial for protecting the remaining numbers of this highly rare hummingbird.
Green-crowned Brilliant
The Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is a rare hummingbird that is endemic to the tropical dry forests of Costa Rica’s northwestern Guanacaste region. Within Costa Rica, it is found only in protected areas such as Palo Verde and Santa Rosa National Parks.
The brilliant emerald-green colored males have a crown that appears to glow in certain lights, giving rise to their “brilliant” name. Females have a pale belly and lack the vibrant crown patch of the males. These medium-sized hummingbirds have slightly downcurved bills adapted for accessing certain specialized flower shapes.
The Green-crowned Brilliant’s habitat is dry tropical forest, rare in Costa Rica, mainly found along the northern Pacific coast. It occurs at elevations below 500 meters and is usually found along forest edges and clearings. Due to significant deforestation, its habitat has declined dramatically, with over 85% of Costa Rica’s original dry forests having been converted to agricultural or developed land uses.
Current population estimates indicate there are less than 10,000 Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbirds remaining. The primary threats are habitat loss and degradation. As one of the few bird species adapted to the dry forests of Guanacaste, ongoing deforestation makes the Green-crowned Brilliant’s future uncertain. Expanding protected areas of tropical dry forest habitat could help secure the future for this rare and uniquely adapted bird.
White-bellied Mountain-gem
The White-bellied Mountain-gem (Lampornis hemileucus) is an endangered hummingbird found only in the highland cloud forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. In Costa Rica, its breeding range is mainly limited to a small area of forest along the Cerro de la Muerte.
This large, relatively long-tailed hummingbird has a velvety black head and green throat patch on the males. The belly is white with a smattering of tiny dark spots, giving rise to its common name. Females have a pale throat and lack the male’s ornamental head feathers.
White-bellied Mountain-gem habitat is cloud forest rich in epiphytes and bromiliad plants, at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. The abundant flowers and arthropod food sources found here sustain these large hummingbirds, which have high metabolic needs.
Habitat loss and climate change have contributed to a population decline of 30-49% over the last 10 years for the White-bellied Mountain-gem. The population in Costa Rica likely does not exceed 2,500 mature individuals. Continued monitoring and habitat protection in remaining breeding areas will be important conservation measures. Ecotourism may also help provide an economic incentive to preserve cloud forest areas where this rare hummingbird still thrives.
Snowcap
The diminutive Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) is Central America’s smallest hummingbird. In Costa Rica, it is restricted to a tiny range in the Talamanca Mountains. Found above elevations of 2,800 meters in paramo habitat, the entire range of the Snowcap falls within an area 100 km across.
True to its name, the Snowcap looks like it has a cap of snow on its head. Males are crowned with brilliant white feathers. The back is metallic green and the throat feathers range from glittering red to purple depending on light conditions. Females lack the white crown and have grey throats.
Weighing just 3 grams, the Snowcap’s tiny size allows it to endure cold temperatures and subsist on tiny arthropods that populate its high elevation habitat. It also feeds on specialized flowers that bloom at the frost line. Habitat disturbance and climate change pose serious threats.
Fewer than 10,000 Snowcaps are thought to exist worldwide. In Costa Rica, the population likely numbers fewer than 1,000 individuals. Expanding protected habitat and connecting fragmented populations are conservation priorities for ensuring this diminutive species’ future survival.
Summary of Rare Costa Rican Hummingbirds
Here’s a table summarizing key details on Costa Rica’s rare and endangered hummingbirds:
Species | Population Estimate | Range | Key Threats |
---|---|---|---|
Scintillant Hummingbird | < 1,000 individuals | Talamanca Mountains | Habitat loss |
Mangrove Hummingbird | 600-1,500 individuals | Nicoya and Osa Peninsulas | Mangrove habitat loss |
Black-crested Coquette | Under 250 individuals | Cerro de la Muerte | Climate change, habitat loss |
Green-crowned Brilliant | Under 10,000 individuals | Northwestern dry forests | Deforestation |
White-bellied Mountain-gem | Under 2,500 individuals | Cerro de la Muerte highlands | Climate change, habitat loss |
Snowcap | Under 1,000 individuals | Talamanca Mountains | Climate change |
Reasons for Rarity
What makes certain hummingbird species so rare in Costa Rica? Several key factors contribute to their vulnerable status:
– Small geographic range – Most rare hummingbirds in Costa Rica are endemic to tiny areas within the country, increasing their vulnerability.
– Specialized habitat needs – Depending on specific conditions like elevation, temperature, or plant communities limits where rare species can survive.
– Development and habitat loss – Human activities like logging, agriculture, and construction have destroyed or degraded critical habitat for some species.
– Natural rarity – Some species may just naturally occur in small numbers due to limited resources in their highly specific habitat.
– Climate change – Warming temperatures and drought may threaten cool high elevation habitats and push species uphill beyond where habitat is available.
Protecting remaining habitat areas where rare hummingbirds still survive, and addressing threats like climate change, will be key for their continued survival. While seeing one of these unique hummingbirds can’t be guaranteed, the tantalizing possibility keeps birders returning to Costa Rica’s forests in hopes of a glimpse at one of nature’s most exquisite and imperiled creatures.
Conclusion
Costa Rica’s rare hummingbirds occur in some of the country’s most biodiverse and threatened habitats from dry forests to mountaintop cloud forests. Their specialized adaptations allow them to occupy ecological niches found almost nowhere else on the planet. But without committed conservation efforts, some of these unique birds could wink out in the coming decades. Protecting habitats, addressing climate change, and supporting research to better understand rare hummingbird populations will provide the best chance of preserving these captivating creatures for future generations. For birders and nature lovers, they remain the holy grail species to see in Costa Rica.