It is often said that it is never too late to learn something new. Don’t you think that’s true? Why not learn something new and discover one of the best hummingbird species there is? Like the amazilia hummingbird, for example.
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Is it a hummingbird?
It is one of the few species of hummingbirds that receive two scientific names: amazilia versicolor or agyrtria versicolor. Commonly known as a red hooded diamond, it can also be called Rondonia amazilia or emerald iridescent.
It is a species of hummingbird that mainly lives in the eastern and central part of South America. It especially likes to live in semi-open areas, with some trees, even in urban areas. It avoids living in primary rainforests, but in some areas it can be seen in this area. It is one of the hummingbird species that has benefited most from deforestation.
What does it look like?
It is a small bird that measures about 8 cm and weighs about 4 grams on average. It does not have a fairly noticeable sexual dimorphism, although the female is generally a little smaller than the male.
The beak of this bird is long and slightly curved, blackish in colour with flesh or orange at the base of the lower jaw. The tail is copper-green in colour, with a dark subterminal band. On the other hand, its back and the flanks are copper-green, with the lower central parts and the crissum white. Its throat, the sides of the face and the crown have a variable coloration according to the subspecies. It can be greenish to turquoise blue with white borders.
In the case of females, what varies slightly is the colour of the throat, which may be greenish to bluish or white. Especially those living on the mainland.
The subspecies of the species are:
- Agyrtria versicolor nitidifrons
- Agyrtria versicolor kubtcheki
- Agyrtria versicolor rondoniae
- Agyrtria versicolor hollandi
- Agyrtria versicolor millerii
Is this bird that well known?
The truth is that it is one of the most famous bird species in the world, and that it has a long history with the culture of many countries. In fact, in the early drawings that were made in ancient times this bird is represented as a deity that provided rain and fire so that humans could be able to survive.
It is not a bird that socializes much, but more than the others of other hummingbird species that are less tolerant. They are quite curious, so it is not uncommon for them to approach areas where there are people. In fact, their fame has led many people to set up special feeders for the members of this species.
Their food, mainly, is composed of nectar of plants that they have around their habitat. They also play a very important role in pollination, since without the effort of these birds, many types of plants could not survive. Thanks to their long tongues they can lick the nectar and obtain the sugar. Then it also looks for small insects, which it consumes on the fly, from which it obtains the proteins it needs to survive.
When it comes to breeding, it is the males who initiate mating, but it all depends on the female, who decides which male she is with. The males parade their colours, dive at high speed and make various sounds to catch their attention. This is one of the few times when males interact with females. In the event that another male may try to conquer the females, they can become very aggressive, and pursue each other to get the best females in the area.
Females are the ones who build the nests, which must be complete within a few days after mating so that they can lay both eggs. They will take about 12 days to hatch, unless the temperature is high, in which case they will take less time to hatch. The chicks stay with the mother for 4 weeks, until they gain the confidence to start taking care of themselves.
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