The purple-crowned plovercrest is a species of hummingbird found along the Atlantic coast of southeastern Brazil. With its distinctive purple cap and throat feathers, it stands out among the over 300 known hummingbird species around the world. In this article, we will explore the identifying features, habitat, diet, breeding habits, conservation status, and other interesting facts about this unique bird.
Physical Description
The purple-crowned plovercrest is a relatively large hummingbird, measuring about 4.5 inches in length. The male has vivid iridescent purple feathers on the top of its head forming a crown, with matching purple on its throat. The rest of the body is primarily covered in green feathers, with some gray underparts and a forked black tail. The bill is long, straight and black. The female plovercrest is similar but lacks the bright purple crown and throat, instead having dull gray-green head feathers. Juveniles resemble adult females until they molt and acquire their adult plumage.
This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, where the males and females have distinct plumage. The males have the brighter, more decorative feathers likely for the purpose of attracting mates. The less conspicuous females are able to blend in better while incubating eggs.
Habitat and Range
The purple-crowned plovercrest is found exclusively along a narrow strip of coastal Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil. Its total global range covers only about 260 square miles in the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina.
This hummingbird inhabits and depends on humid forest at elevations up to 1000 feet. Typical habitat includes the edges of lowland tropical rainforest, sand forest restingas, and mangroves. It is found particularly near and within treeline vegetation along the shores. The dependence on coastal habitat makes the plovercrest vulnerable, as development has led to deforestation and loss of much of its specialized ecosystem.
Diet
Like all hummingbirds, the purple-crowned plovercrest feeds on nectar from flowers. It uses its specialized long, slender bill to drink nectar while hovering at the blooms. Some of the flower species utilized include shrubs in the genus Stachytarpheta as well as pitanga trees. This species licks nectar with its extended tongue up to 13 times per second while feeding.
The plovercrest supplements its diet by catching small insects in flight such as mosquitoes, spiders, and fruit flies. The protein gained from eating insects is an essential part of its diet, allowing proper muscle development and energy for hummingbirds’ unique flying abilities.
Behavior and Breeding
The purple-crowned plovercrest is not a particularly social species, tending to be solitary outside of courtship and breeding. Males are territorial and use chirping vocalizations to advertise and defend their feeding territories against intruders.
Breeding takes place during the Brazilian summer between August and January. The nest is a small cup built by the female, made of plant down and fibers bound with spiderwebs and lichen on a tree branch. She lays just two tiny white eggs. After about 15-19 days incubation, the eggs hatch and the young chicks are fed regurgitated food by the female. They fledge in approximately 3 weeks, and reach sexual maturity at 1 year old.
Conservation Status
The purple-crowned plovercrest is classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List due to its incredibly small range and population size, estimated at just 250-999 mature individuals. Major threats include high rates of habitat loss as the Brazilian Atlantic coastal forests have been heavily cleared and degraded. The small remaining fragmented patches cannot support robust populations. This species’ dependence on treeline vegetation also makes it very vulnerable to sea level rise from climate change. Additional threats come from competition with invasive honeybees and potential diseases they carry. Eco-tourism and observation impact breeding birds. Conservation actions needed include habitat protection, corridor creation, controlling invasive species, and public education programs. More field studies are also required to better understand the current population status. While the future of this rare hummingbird is tenuous, directed conservation efforts give hope that the purple-crowned plovercrest can continue gracing Brazil’s coasts.
Fun Facts
– The genus name Stephanoxis comes from the Greek for “crowned” referring to its decorative head plumage.
– The purple-crowned plovercrest exhibits some territorial aggression and will chase other hummingbirds from flowers.
– This species can lick nectar from flowers up to 13 licks per second using its specialized bifurcated tongue.
– The nest is only about 1.5 inches across – barely larger than a quarter!
– Male plovercrests perform elaborate mating dives as high as 65 feet to impress potential mates.
– To conserve energy, they enter torpor by lowering their body temperature and metabolic rate at night.
In Summary
With its unique appearance and endangered status, the purple-crowned plovercrest is a fascinating Brazilian endemic hummingbird. This specially adapted species relies on a very particular habitat niche found only along a narrow coastal strip. Continued efforts are needed to preserve the remaining sections of native Atlantic forest on which it depends. This charm-filled bird serves as an important reminder of Brazil’s incredible biodiversity. The delicate purple-crowned plovercrest will hopefully continue to persist into the future, representing the exotic intersection of hummingbirds and the Brazilian coast.