With over 300 different species, hummingbirds are some of the most spectacular and diverse birds on Earth. Among these jewel-like creatures, the frilled coquette hummingbird stands out for its unique and elaborate appearance. At just 3 inches long, this tiny bird packs a visual punch with its extravagant ornamentation. In this article, we’ll explore the identification, habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation status of the aptly named frilled coquette hummingbird.
Identification
The frilled coquette (Lophornis magnificus) is a small hummingbird characterized by large head plumes and colorful throat feathers. Males have a velvety black body, a deeply forked tail, and their signature feature—long, elegant head plumes that sweep backward. These plumes can be raised and lowered as part of courtship displays. The male’s throat is marked by a bright ruff of orange-and-white feathers that flare out dramatically when inflated. Females look similar but lack the long plumes, instead having a small ruff of white-tipped feathers on the throat. Both sexes have a straight black bill adapted for drinking nectar.
There are three recognized subspecies of the frilled coquette which can be distinguished by slight variations in plumage color and pattern. L. m. stictolophus has green rather than blue-black plumage. L. m. magnificus has more white in the throat plumes. While L. m. veraguensis has a blue-violet sheen to its throat ruff.
Native Habitat
The frilled coquette is endemic to the neotropical regions of South America. Its range extends through Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil. This species primarily resides in humid lowland rainforests and evergreen forests at elevations up to 6000 feet. It prefers habitats dense with flowering plants and trees where it can find the small arthropod prey and nectar that sustains it.
Diet and Feeding
Like all hummingbirds, the frilled coquette feeds on flower nectar and small insects. Its long bill allows the bird to access nectar hidden deep within tubular tropical flowers. It uses its extensible tongue to drink up this high-energy nectar, flicking the tongue in and out up to 20 times per second. Preferred nectar sources include heliconia and ginger flowers. To meet protein needs, the coquette also hunts small spiders and insects, particularly gnats, midges and flies. It can even snatch insects straight out of spider webs with great speed and precision. The coquette plays an important role in pollination and propagation of many rainforest plant species.
Behavior and Communication
The frilled coquette lives alone or in pairs, defending flower-rich feeding territories from intruders through displays and chasing. Males perform elaborate courtship rituals to attract females, inflating their colorful throat pouches, fanning their ornamental head plumes, flying in looped U-shaped dives, and vocalizing with squeaky chirps and buzzes. Their energetic displays also establish hierarchy among males. Outside of breeding behaviors, frilled coquettes can be aggressive when defending resources, using sharp bill jabs to drive off intruders.
When not busy feeding or interacting, these hummingbirds spend much of their time perching. Their unique ability to rotate their feet 180 degrees allows them to perch comfortably even on vertical surfaces. Roosting at night helps conserve energy. The coquette enters a state of torpor by lowering its metabolic rate and body temperature.
Reproduction
The breeding season for frilled coquettes varies across their range but generally aligns with peak flower blooming in their native forests. To attract a mate, males sing and perform elaborate courtship flights around receptive females. If she accepts his advances, the pair copulate and the female builds a small cup nest out of plant materials bound with spider silk. She incubates the two tiny eggs alone for about 16 to 19 days until they hatch. Nestlings develop quickly, able to leave the nest in just 3 weeks. The female cares for the chicks through this period, sheltering them under her wings at night and bringing back food to the nest.
Conservation Status
With their specialized habitat needs and small breeding ranges, frilled coquette populations are vulnerable. However, the species remains relatively widespread and abundant over much of its historic range. The IUCN Red List classifies the frilled coquette as a species of Least Concern. Continued habitat loss poses the biggest threat to populations in the future. As forests are degraded and fragmented, this compromises nesting resources and flower availability. Climate change may also disrupt the seasonal ecology that times nesting and migration with peak food resources. Preserving intact rainforest ecosystems through protected areas and sympathetically managed forestry will give the frilled coquette the best chance at thriving for generations.
The Dazzling Frilled Coquette
The aptly named frilled coquette hummingbird is a tiny dynamo of the Neotropical rainforests. From its elaborate plumes to flared throat feathers, every part of its appearance seems designed to dazzle. This ornamentation plays an important role during courtship and mating as males visually attract females. But beyond its good looks, the coquette fills an essential ecological niche. As specialized nectar-feeders and pollinators, they help propagate the diverse plant life of the forest. Though small, the coquette and its hummingbird kin help maintain the healthy functioning of these complex tropical ecosystems. When we protect delicate species like the frilled coquette, we ultimately safeguard entire habitats and their extraordinary biodiversity.