Very cool slo-mo video showing the aerodynamics of hummingbirds in flight.
Click here to see his video about macaws in flight.
How Do Hummingbirds Fly?
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Tag Archives: Hummingbirds
Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
The Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus) is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. I saw this one as we were driving up to the Syndicate Forest. I think it’s a female as the crest isn’t that bright blue colour.
They are found in found in the Caribbean Islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, north-east Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Eustatius, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles. The only island where I saw one was Dominica.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ANTILLEAN CRESTED HUMMINGBIRDS
VIDEOS
These clips really show the beauty of the male bird’s crest!
And this one is trying to have a drink and a bath at the same time!
Purple-throated Carib (Eulampis jugularis)
The Purple-throated Carib (Eulampis jugularis) is a beautiful species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae found in the Caribbean islands.
They have a wide distribution in the Caribbean. I personally saw them in St Lucia & St Vincent. They are very striking when the sun highlights their purple throats!
LEARN MORE ABOUT PURPLE-THROATED CARIB HUMMINGBIRDS
VIDEOS
Se what a beauty he is, they even put a slo-mo sequence at the end!
A little privacy please, can’t you see I am taking a shower?
Tufted Coquette ( Lophornis ornatus )
The Tufted Coquette ( Lophornis ornatus ) is a tiny hummingbird that has a rufous head crest and a coppery green back with a whitish rump band that is prominent in flight. The forehead and underparts are green, and black-spotted rufous plumes project from the neck sides. The tail is golden rufous.
I was lucky enough to see this tiny beauty at Asa Wright Nature Centre where I tried to get some photos but these birds are FAST!
They range throughout eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, and northern Brazil. I saw a few at Asa Wright’s and they can also be found at Yerette in Trinidad.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TUFTED COQUETTES
VIDEOS
Very nice mini-doco on Tufted Coquettes.
Theyr’e gorgeous and they know it, this time they cooperated with the videographer. The one at the end is a female.
Lodge Review: Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad
To be specific, I am reviewing the public areas accessible on a day visit but just want readers to be aware they have accommodation as well. Asa Wright Nature Centre is a gorgeous eco-lodge situated in a beautiful rainforest habitat and is one of the highlights of birding in the Caribbean. There are two ways of visiting AWNC, as an overnight guest or as a day visitor. While I would have much preferred to stay overnight and wake with the birds, I wasn’t in a financial position to overlook the benefits of using Club Carlson points for a free stay at the Radisson. Any other time, we would have stayed at AWNC, booking instructions are here.
The next best thing is making a day visit. They allow day visitors during the hours of 9am – 5pm. Guided walks with their professional naturalist guides are conducted daily at 10:30am and 1:30pm. The walk lasts about 1.5 hours. I’ll post about that separately as there are way too many photos. For now, lets see the public areas of the lodge.
It takes about an hour to drive from the airport or as we did from the Aripo Livestock Station.
Driving onto the property, we passed several hiking trails and some beautiful scenery. Cabins are scattered around the property.
There is a car park for day visitors and then you check into the reception, pay the fee, then proceed to the fabulous Asa Wright verandah.
And here it is, where all the hummingbird action is found! Just sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle!
There is a set lunch menu each day which you can pay for separately if you wish or order sandwiches if you can’t tear yourself away from the verandah.
The gift shop has some nice handicrafts & other bird themed gifts. 
I bought this hummingbird necklace.
Example of postcard available – Tufted Coquette, meet them in person on the verandah!
It was tough to tear ourselves away, it is such a beautiful, relaxing place but we did have a flight to catch so no choice but to say farewell earlier than we would have liked.
Birding The Verandah At Asa Wright Nature Centre
Whether you are a lodge guest or a day visitor at Asa Wright Nature Centre, you will be amazed at the beauty and variety of birds seen on the verandah. Lazy birding at it’s best! Hummingbirds need to feed every 15 minutes so don’t worry if you miss one, he’ll be back so you can keep trying for those stunning photos! There are guides available to help you identify the birds. This is my eBird list, not bad for about 5 hours!
Bananaquit, Violaceous Euphonia
Turquiuse Tanager
Blue-grey Tanager
Purple Honeycreepers
Silver-beaked Tanager
White-chested Emerald 
Copper-rumped Hummingbird 
Crested Oropendula
Palm Tanagers
White-necked Jacobin
Crested Oropendula
Long-billed Starthroat 
Tufted Coquettes
Hummingbirds Can Be Difficult To Identify
Hummingbirds are so tiny and often come in similar colour patterns making it difficult to identify. Check out this case study of a mysterious hummingbird near Bogota at the Rogitama Reserve. Will the mystery be solved?
Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis)
The Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) is a mainly South American hummingbird species.
They have a huge range from Venezuela and the Guyanas, south to central Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and northern Bolivia; also from Colombia into southern Panama. Yerette in Trinidad is a good place to see them.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BLACK-THROATED MANGOES
VIDEOS
Why is everyone looking at me?
Quick visit to a feeder
Yerette Hummingbird Sanctuary, Trinidad
Theo & Gloria Fergusson, the owners of Yerette must have one of the best lifestyles in the world! Their beautiful home high atop a hill in the lush Maracas Valley in Trinidad is a sanctuary for 1000’s of brilliant glittering hummingbirds! Out of all the bird species we don’t have in Australia, hummingbirds are the one I miss the most so I like to take any opportunity to see them overseas. The general consensus on Trip Advisor is “magic” and I have to agree!
The word “Yerette” means hummingbird in the original Amerindian language.Trinidad even features them on the national Coat of Arms, currency and passport, as the hummingbird is an important symbol of the country. Caribbean Airlines has the hummingbird as their logo as well.
At Yerette, visitors are able to see and observe 13 of the 17 hummingbird species recorded in this country, of hummingbirds at a very close range. These include:
1.Black-throated Mango
2.Blue-chinned Sapphire
3.Brown Violetear
4.Copper-rumped Hummingbird
5.Green Hermit
6.Green-throated Mango
7.Little Hermit
8.Long-billed Starthroat
9.Ruby Topaz
10.Rufous-breasted Hermit
11.Tufted Coquette
12.White-chested Emerald
13.White-necked Jacobin
I managed to see 10 out of the 13 (bolding) and did my best to identify the photos below but many are too dark or blurry. I did get Tufted Coquette at Asa Wright’s so it’s really necessary to visit both places to see as many Trindadian hummingbirds as possible.
The price of admission is $TT150, and includes a light meal, interesting presentation by Theo on the hummingbirds and access to all the hummingbird feeders in the garden where you can TRY to take photos of these rapidly flittering flying jewels. Theo has photos for sale which are better quality than most people will get on their own. You need to book in advance by calling 1-868-663-2623 as there are sessions at different times of day. They will email you precise directions when you book. It doesn’t matter which session you choose as hummingbirds must feed every 10 minutes throughout the day.
The area where Yerette is located.
Entering Yerette and the hummingbird garden.
Theo’s presentation on the hummingbirds.
Green-throated Mango 
Green-throated Mango 
White-necked Jacobin 
Copper-rumped Hummingbird 
Little Hermit 
Black-throated Mango
Rufous-breasted Hermit 
Ruby Topaz 
Ruby Topaz 
Ruby Topaz 
White-chested Emerald 
White-chested Emerald 
Brown Violetear 
Purple Honeycreeper
Green-throated Mango 
Ruby Topaz Hummingbird? 
Blue-chinned Sapphire 
Black-throated Mango
Ruby Topaz Hummingbird? 
White-necked Jacobin 
Yellow Oriole 
Blue-chinned Sapphire 
It started raining as we headed back down the steep hill, you can see how high it is.
Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani)
The Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani) is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. They can be found in the high paramo in cold high altitude areas. They have an interesting way to survive the cold. They enter a nightly hibernation called torpor, where their body temperature, breathing, and heart rate drastically slow so they conserve most of their energy. My photos don’t do this gorgeous little bird justice as i didn’t get him head on to show the beard but at least I DID get a few shots at the feeders!
They are found in Ecuador Andes regions & Colombia in the high paramo south of Manizales. The best place to see them is in the gardens of the Termales del Ruiz. You will be at 3500 metres so plan for altitude sickness.
LEARN MORE ABOUT RAINBOW-BEARDED THORNBILLS
VIDEOS
Now you see him, now you don’t!
The trick is to get him facing you with the sun behind you to show off his iridescent beard, not an easy task!