Fun Green-crowned Brilliant Facts For Kids
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These hummingbirds are a comparatively large species with a slender body, small black beak, short forked tail, and black eyes. The male is bigger and has a more vibrant and glittery shade of green on its back, throat, and breast. The female is duller and has white spots all over her underparts.
The green-crowned brilliant bird (Heliodoxa jacula) is a solitary resident breeder of the Costa Rican and western Ecuador highlands and cloud forest. These birds can be found between an altitude range of 2,300-6,600 ft (701-2,011.6 m), especially on the Caribbean slopes.
During the breeding season, the female builds a bulky, cup-like nest that clings on top of slim, drooping branches. She lays two eggs and incubates them alone while the male defends the territory.
The green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is a herbivore and feeds on nectar-producing flowers. Marcgravia, Heliconia, and other large flowers are known as the preferred delicacies of this species.
These birds also have a squeaky call that sounds something like 'kyew'. In addition, the IUCN has declared that these birds are not vulnerable and they have been given the Least Concern status.
If you enjoy reading about hummingbirds, be sure to check out some hummingbird facts and bee hummingbird facts.
Green-Crowned Brilliant Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a green-crowned brilliant?
The green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is a type of hummingbird that belongs to the order of Apodiformes under the family Trochilidae.
What class of animal does a green-crowned brilliant belong to?
Green-crowned brilliant hummingbirds belong to the Aves class.
How many green-crowned brilliants are there in the world?
The green-crowned brilliant hummingbird, endangered or not, has a declining population. However, the IUCN has not recorded their exact numbers.
Where does green-crowned brilliant live?
This hummingbird species is found across Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and western Ecuador.
What is a green-crowned brilliant's habitat?
These birds are found in cloud or canopied forests and highlands, especially on the Caribbean slopes.
Who do green-crowned brilliants live with?
Like most hummingbirds, this species is solitary and does not stay with its mate.
How long does a green-crowned brilliant live?
The exact lifespan of the green-crowned brilliant is not observed, but hummingbirds are known to live for three to five years.
How do they reproduce?
These non-migratory birds are solitary and do not form lifelong bonds. The male green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) flies in patterns in front of the female, and once accepted, the male bird is around during the mating process but wanders off immediately after copulation.
It is observed that the male and female are likely to mate with other partners.
The green-crowned brilliant female takes charge and builds a bulky, cup-shaped nest using tree fern scales and plant fibers by positioning it on top of a thin, drooping branch.
Like all hummingbirds, this female also lays a clutch size of two white eggs and incubates them alone. The male returns to defend the territory, especially the feeding flowers chosen by the female.
The blind, immobile fledglings are fed regurgitated food that is pushed down directly into their stomachs by the female. After two weeks, the chicks are left alone and in around 7-10 more days, they leave the nest.
What is their conservation status?
Although their population is on the decline, the IUCN has given this species the Least Concern conservation status.
Green-Crowned Brilliant Fun Facts
What do green-crowned brilliants look like?
The green-crowned brilliant male and female present partial sexual dimorphism. The male is larger and has a glistening bronze-green plumage on the forehead, crown, chest, and throat.
They also have a white spot at the back end of their eyes, a glittery violet-blue patch on the throat, a forked black-blue tail, and white thighs. Though smaller, the female has similar bronze-green plumage but not as lustrous, similar to the shade present on the back of the Calliope hummingbird.
Female green-crowned brilliant hummingbird eyes have a white spot at the back as well as a white stripe that runs from the bottom corner of its eyes to the beak.
In addition, the plumage on the throat, breast, and underparts have specks of white. A female green-crowned brilliant's tail is black and shallow-forked with white edges.
How cute are they?
These vibrant neotropical birds have adorable features and you cannot help but appreciate their metallic beauty.
How do they communicate?
The males have been observed displaying different flight techniques to court the female. The male also chooses the feeding area and defends it aggressively by opening its wings and driving other species away.
How big is a green-crowned brilliant?
The female is around 4.7 in (12 cm) and the male is 5.1 in (13 cm) in length.
How fast can a green-crowned brilliant fly?
The exact flight speed of the green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is unknown. However, hummingbirds are usually quick flyers with a speed of 20-30 mph (32-48 kph).
How much does a green-crowned brilliant weigh?
The weight of green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) males is 0.33 oz (9.5 g), whereas the female weighs 0.3 oz (8.5 g). This means the female is around the same size as the western kingbird and the male size is similar to the rusty blackbird.
What are the male and female names of the species?
The males and females of this species do not have separate names. They are also called green-fronted brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) birds.
What would you call a baby green-crowned brilliant?
The young ones are called chicks or juveniles.
What do they eat?
The green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is herbivorous and only feeds on the nectar of brightly colored, scented flowers. They usually choose flowers with the highest sugar content and protect the ones that provide high-energy nectar.
The most common flowers these birds feed on are Marcgravia, Heliconia, and other large flowers. They use their straw-like, extendable tongues to suck out the nectar from cup-shaped flowers at a speed of 13 licks per second.
These birds are also seen visiting feeders with sugar water, fountains, and birdbaths. The male green-crowned brilliant selects the feeding area and aggressively protects it from other interfering species.
Are they dangerous?
No, the green-crowned hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula) usually keeps to itself and does not cause harm to humans or other animals.
Would they make a good pet?
The green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is a wild species and prefers living in cloud forests and highlands. This why it is not advised to keep them in captivation as a pet.
Did you know...
The robber fly wraps its wings around the hummingbird, immobilizing, and eventually killing it.
What is the green-crowned brilliant's call?
The green-crowned brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is heard making a high-pitched squeaky sound like 'kyew'.
Why are they called green-crowned brilliants?
This species displays a unique, glittery shade of green, making it look quite magnificent. This is the origin of its name.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our rufous hummingbird facts and Anna's hummingbird facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable hummingbird coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English
Ritwik BhuyanBachelor of Arts specializing in English
A skilled content writer, Ritwik holds a Bachelor's degree in English from Delhi University. He has refined his writing abilities through his past experience at PenVelope and his current role at Kidadl. In addition to his proficiency in writing, Ritwik has pursued his passion for flying by achieving CPL training and becoming a licensed commercial pilot. This diverse skill set highlights his commitment to exploring multiple fields. Ritwik's experience in the aviation industry has provided him with a unique perspective and attention to detail, which he brings to his writing.
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