Long-billed Hermit Hummingbird (Costa Rica)

[Donkees]

Spectacular large hummingbird of humid tropical lowlands. It favors shady forest understory and edges, especially with patches of Heliconia flowers. Males sit and sing tirelessly from perches in the understory while pumping their tails. When feeding, hovers briefly with long white tail streamers held nearly vertical and shoots off with an explosive squeak. Unlike many hummingbirds, hermits do not defend a patch of flowers but zip between widely scattered flowers, a strategy known as traplining (like it is checking widely scattered nectar traps).

[niyad]

1. Thank you.

[blm]

2. Wowza. Pretty shots.