Vervet-purple Coronet

Boissonneaua jardini

km58 Valle Del Cauca Colombia

Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Boissonneaua jardini
  • Spanish Name: Colibrí pechipúrpura
  • Family: Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Velvet-purple Coronet
  • Average Length: 11–12.7 cm / 4.3–5 in
  • Average Weight: 8–9 g / 0.28–0.32 oz
  • Wingspan: 14–16 cm / 5.5–6.3 in
  • Key Feature: Iridescent deep purple and blue plumage with distinctive white patches under the wings
  • Primary Diet: Nectarivore and Insectivore
  • Range: Chocó bioregion of Western Colombia and Northwestern Ecuador
  • Habitat: Humid montane and cloud forests
  • Social Structure: Solitary and highly territorial
  • Nesting/Breeding: Small cup nests made of moss and lichen on horizontal branches
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
  • Population Trend: Decreasing

The Velvet-purple Coronet (*Boissonneaua jardini*) is a breathtaking hummingbird native to the humid Andean forests of Colombia and Ecuador, renowned for its dazzling, multi-colored plumage. Its most striking feature is a brilliant, iridescent purple crown and throat that contrasts sharply against a deep, velvety green body, while its underparts shimmer with intense cobalt blue. Beyond its jewel-like appearance, this bird is easily identified by its distinctive white "leg puffs"—tufts of downy feathers around the thighs—and its unique behavioral habit of holding its wings vertically above its back for a brief moment immediately after landing. This high-energy inhabitant of the Chocó bioregion combines aggressive territoriality with a visual brilliance that makes it one of the most spectacular avian gems of the cloud forest.

Fun Facts

The Velvet-purple Coronet is famous for its unique "wing-flicking" behavior, where it holds its wings vertically above its back for a second or two immediately after landing. Despite its small size, it is a highly aggressive defender of its territory, frequently dive-bombing much larger birds to protect its favorite nectar sources. Its most striking adaptation is its dramatic structural coloration; while the bird can appear almost entirely black in the shade, a direct beam of sunlight reveals a shimmering transformation into a brilliant mosaic of iridescent violet, cobalt, and emerald green.

Habitats & Distribution

This species is native to the humid Pacific slopes of the Andes Mountains, with a geographical range extending from southwestern Colombia to northwestern Ecuador. It is primarily concentrated within the Chocó bioregion, an area known for its high levels of rainfall and constant moisture. Its distribution is relatively narrow, restricted to the western slopes where the environment transitions from lowland rainforests to high-altitude montane zones. The preferred habitats include lush montane cloud forests and very humid mossy forests, generally occurring at elevations between 1,200 and 2,200 meters. While it is most common in the interior of primary forests, it also frequents forest edges, tall second growth, and shrubby clearings where flowering plants are abundant. The dense, epiphytic-laden vegetation of these cloud forests provides the essential nectar sources and nesting sites required for its survival.

Behaviours & Reproduction

Known for their aggressive and highly territorial nature, these birds fiercely defend nectar-rich areas against competitors of their own and other species. A signature behavioral trait is the habit of momentarily holding their wings raised in a V-shape immediately upon perching. They are primarily solitary, with social interactions largely limited to brief territorial disputes or mating encounters. In high-density feeding areas, they establish a clear dominance hierarchy through vocalizations and aggressive aerial maneuvers. The reproductive strategy is polygynous, where males perform aerial displays and showcase their iridescent plumage to attract several mates but contribute nothing to nesting or offspring care. Females take full responsibility for reproduction, constructing small, cup-shaped nests using moss, lichen, and spider silk, often hidden in dense vegetation. They typically lay two small white eggs and manage the entire incubation and feeding process alone, relying on the nest’s camouflage to evade potential predators.

Diet

The Velvet-purple Coronet primarily subsists on a high-energy diet of nectar obtained from a wide array of flowering plants, showing a particular preference for the tubular blooms of epiphytes, shrubs, and trees within the Ericaceae, Gesneriaceae, and Bromeliaceae families. To balance its sugar-heavy intake with necessary proteins and fats, this hummingbird also engages in insectivory, skillfully capturing small arthropods and spiders through aerial hawking or by gleaning them directly from leaf surfaces. A fascinating aspect of its dietary behavior is its intense territoriality; it frequently defends lucrative flowering patches against both rivals and other species to secure exclusive access to nectar. Furthermore, while foraging, it often demonstrates a unique post-perching display where it holds its wings momentarily upright, a trait that often accompanies its frequent transitions between various feeding sites throughout the humid cloud forest canopy.

Colors

The Velvet-purple Coronet displays shimmering, dark iridescent green plumage offset by a brilliant violet-purple crown and throat. It is marked by prominent white leg puffs and white outer tail feathers that flash during flight, with contrasting chestnut-rufous underwing coverts. These vivid, structural colors are designed for high-visibility displays rather than concealment.