Velvet-purple Coronet
Encyclopedia
The Velvet-purple Coronet (Boissonneaua jardini) is a species of hummingbird
in the Trochilidae family. It is found in humid foothill forest on the West Andean slope in western Colombia
and north-western Ecuador
. Its highly iridescent plumage
is striking, being largely bluish-purple below and on the crown, greenish-blue on the back, green on the upperwing coverts
, and rufous on the underwing coverts. In poor light it may appear all black, except for the strongly contrasting white outer rectrices.
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
in the Trochilidae family. It is found in humid foothill forest on the West Andean slope in western Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and north-western Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Its highly iridescent plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is striking, being largely bluish-purple below and on the crown, greenish-blue on the back, green on the upperwing coverts
Covert (feather)
A covert feather on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts, which as the name implies, cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail.- Wing-coverts :...
, and rufous on the underwing coverts. In poor light it may appear all black, except for the strongly contrasting white outer rectrices.
External links
- Velvet-purple Coronet videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Photo-1, Photo-2; Article chandra.as.utexas.edu–"Birds of Ecuador"
- Velvet-purple Coronet photo gallery VIREO
- Photo-High Res; Article surfbirds–"Northern Ecuador"
