Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) lives in open country across Central America, from Mexico to Panama. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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Fascinating facts about the Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird
The rufous-tailed hummingbird is assessed as Least Concern because it occupies a very large range across Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Its population is estimated at more than five million mature individuals, although the trend is thought to be decreasing. Deforestation may actually aid the species by creating the open, non-forested habitats it prefers, such as clearings and garden edges.
When feeding at flower patches or artificial feeders, the rufous-tailed hummingbird becomes fiercely territorial, actively chasing away rival hummingbirds that approach its chosen flowers. It also drives off larger insects that venture too close, defending its nectar source with aggressive aerial displays. This behaviour is common at sugar-water feeders and in coffee and banana plantations where the bird frequently feeds.
The female rufous-tailed hummingbird alone constructs a compact cup nest using plant fibres, leaves and spiderwebs, which she lines with lichens and mosses for camouflage. She typically suspends this nest up to 6 m high on a thin horizontal twig, often in open or secondary forest edges. Two white eggs are laid and the female alone incubates them for 15 to 19 days before the chicks fledge after another 18 to 22 days.
In Ecuador the species has been recorded at elevations as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft), although such heights are considered local or seasonal occurrences.
The subspecies A. handleyi resembles the nominate form in colour but is noticeably larger and darker. It is confined to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a small island off the Caribbean coast of north-western Panama.
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In the dappled light of the tropical forest, the Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird flits and weaves, its iridescent feathers glimmering like polished jewels as it darts from bloom to bloom. With a whir of its rapid wings, it hovers, suspended in mid-air, as it sips nectar from the sweetest flowers, its long, extendable tongue darting in and out with precision. As it moves through its domain, the Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird embodies the very essence of vitality and joy, its vibrant plumage and energetic antics a testament to the unfettered beauty of the natural world.
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