Violet-Crowned Woodnymph

Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Thalurania colombica
• Family: Trochilidae
• Known Nicknames: Blue-crowned Woodnymph, Crowned Woodnymph
• Average Length: 9.5–11.5 cm / 3.7–4.5 in
• Average Weight: 3.5–5.5 g / 0.12–0.19 oz
• Wingspan: 10–12 cm / 4–4.7 in
• Key Feature: Iridescent violet crown, brilliant green throat, and deeply forked blue-black tail
• Primary Diet: Nectarivore (Nectar and small insects/spiders)
• Range: Central America and Northern South America (Guatemala to Northern Colombia and Western Venezuela)
• Habitat: Humid lowland and montane forest understory, forest edges, and plantations
• Social Structure: Solitary and highly territorial
• Nesting/Breeding: Small cup-shaped nest made of plant down and lichen on a horizontal branch
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
• Population Trend: Decreasing

The Violet-Crowned Woodnymph (*Thalurania colombica*) is a medium-sized hummingbird renowned for the breathtaking, iridescent plumage of the male, which serves as a living jewel of the Neotropical rainforests. This species exhibits striking sexual dimorphism: while females are modestly dressed in metallic green with grayish-white underparts, the males boast a brilliant violet crown, a shimmering emerald-green throat, and a deep royal-blue belly. A defining feature of the Woodnymph is its long, deeply forked, blue-black tail, which adds to its elegant silhouette as it darts through the forest understory. Highly territorial and energetic, these birds are "trapliners," following established routes to feed on nectar and small insects. Their most captivating attribute is the structural coloration of their feathers, which causes their vibrant hues to shift and glow intensely depending on the angle of the light, making them a dazzling sight amidst the shaded canopy.

Habitats & Distribution

This hummingbird is primarily distributed throughout Central America and northern South America, with a range extending from Guatemala and Belize southward through Panama into Colombia, western Venezuela, and western Ecuador. It is a resident species across most of its territory, though some local altitudinal movements may occur depending on the seasonal availability of flowering plants. In terms of habitat, it favors humid evergreen forests, foothills, and mature secondary growth. It is commonly found along forest edges, in shady clearings, and occasionally in plantations or gardens with sufficient canopy cover. While it predominantly occupies the understory and middle levels of wet forests, it can also be seen foraging in semi-open woodlands and along the banks of streams from sea level up to approximately 1,900 meters.

Behaviours & Reproduction

Primarily solitary and highly territorial, males vigorously defend nectar-rich feeding territories against both conspecifics and other hummingbird species. During the breeding season, they exhibit a polygynous mating system where males congregate in leks—communal display areas—to sing and showcase their iridescent plumage to attract visiting females. Social interactions are brief and centered on these competitive displays, as the species does not form stable pair bonds or social groups outside of the mating context. The female handles all reproductive duties independently, including nest construction, incubation, and provisioning. She builds a compact, cup-shaped nest using plant fibers and spider silk, often camouflaging the exterior with lichen to evade predators. After laying typically two eggs, she incubates them alone and later feeds the chicks a diet of nectar and small arthropods. This division of labor allows males to focus entirely on attracting multiple mates while females manage the survival of the brood in secluded nesting sites.

Diet

The Violet-Crowned Woodnymph primarily sustains itself on nectar gathered from a diverse array of flowering plants, including Heliconia, Hamelia, and various epiphytes, utilizing its long, slender bill and specialized tubular tongue to extract high-energy sugars. To supplement this carbohydrate-heavy diet with essential proteins and minerals, it actively hunts small spiders and insects, such as gnats and flies, often capturing them in mid-air or gleaning them directly from the undersides of leaves. An intriguing aspect of its feeding behavior is its dual strategy; it can act as a "trapliner," traveling long distances between scattered floral patches in a predictable circuit, or it can become highly territorial, aggressively defending a single, nutrient-rich cluster of flowers from other hummingbirds. This species is also known to feed at different vertical levels of the forest depending on the season and competition, showcasing a remarkable dietary flexibility that allows it to thrive in dense tropical understories.

Colors

Male Violet-Crowned Woodnymphs display a brilliant iridescent violet crown and belly, a shimmering emerald-green throat, and a dark metallic green back, finished with a deep blue-black forked tail. Females exhibit more cryptic coloration for nesting camouflage, featuring bronze-green upperparts and pale gray underparts with white-tipped outer tail feathers. These high-contrast metallic tones in males are primarily used for territorial display rather than concealment.

Fun Facts

Known for their feisty temperament, these hummingbirds are aggressive "trap-liners" that memorize and patrol a specific route of flowering plants, fiercely defending their circuit against much larger rivals. Beyond nectar, they use a specialized hunting technique called "hawking" to snatch small insects mid-air with incredible precision. Their architectural skills are equally impressive; they construct tiny, cup-shaped nests using spider silk, which allows the structure to elasticate and expand as the chicks grow. Interestingly, while their plumage appears brilliant violet and green, the colors are actually structural rather than pigmented, meaning they can appear completely black until the light hits them at just the right angle to reveal their iridescent glow.

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