Introduction
The Buff-tailed Coronet (Boissonneaua flavescens) is a compact hummingbird of the northern Andes. It inhabits humid montane forests, cloud forests, forest edges and nearby shrubby habitats in Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Its mainly green plumage, buff-and-bronze tail and conspicuous white leg tufts make it distinctive among Andean hummingbirds.
Physical Description
The Buff-tailed Coronet is approximately 11–12 centimetres long and weighs about 7–9 grams. It has a short, straight black bill, a compact body and a small white spot behind the eye. Both sexes are largely shining green, with darker wings and a buff-washed belly marked with green.
The tail is the key feature. The central tail feathers are bronze, while the outer feathers are buff with bronze edges and tips. Cinnamon underwing coverts may be visible when the bird flies or briefly raises its wings after landing. Small white feather tufts around the legs are also characteristic of coronets.
Females are generally similar to males but may show more buff on the underparts and less bronze in the tail. Geographic variation is recognised, with the buff areas of the subspecies B. f. tinochlora tending to have a warmer, more cinnamon tone.
Range and Habitat
The Buff-tailed Coronet occurs in the Andes of western Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. The nominate subspecies is found mainly in Venezuela and Colombia, while B. f. tinochlora occurs from south-western Colombia through western Ecuador, with additional records on parts of the eastern Andean slope.
It is associated with humid and wet montane forest, cloud forest, elfin forest, forest margins and open shrubby vegetation. It is usually encountered at middle to high elevations, commonly around 2,000–3,500 metres, although the precise altitudinal range varies across its distribution.
The species is considered resident rather than migratory. Local movements may occur in response to flowering conditions, but it is not known for long-distance seasonal migration.
Where to See This Species
Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Bellavista is a publicly visited cloud-forest reserve in the Tandayapa Valley, where hummingbird feeders, forest edges and montane forest provide suitable habitat. Buff-tailed Coronets have been documented at the reserve, although sightings can vary with local flowering conditions.
Nearby accommodation: The reserve offers lodge-style accommodation, while the nearby town of Mindo has hotels, guest houses, lodges and self-catering options.
Guango Lodge, Napo, Ecuador
Guango Lodge, near Papallacta on Ecuador’s eastern Andean slope, is a well-established hummingbird-viewing venue with feeders and surrounding high-elevation forest. Buff-tailed Coronets have been repeatedly recorded there, making it one of the more dependable places to look for the species in Ecuador.
Nearby accommodation: Guango Lodge provides on-site lodge accommodation, with additional hotels, guest houses and thermal-resort accommodation available in Papallacta.
Reserva Las Tangaras, Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador
Reserva Las Tangaras protects cloud-forest habitat in the Mindo region and receives visiting birdwatchers. The reserve has recorded Buff-tailed Coronets around its forest, clearings and flowering areas, including occasional visits to hummingbird-rich parts of the property.
Nearby accommodation: Mindo is the nearest practical base, with a wide choice of birding lodges, guest houses, hotels and cabins.
Behaviour and Diet
The Buff-tailed Coronet is an agile, active hummingbird that usually forages alone. It can be strongly territorial around productive flowers and may chase other hummingbirds from favoured feeding sites, although several individuals may gather temporarily where flowers are abundant.
It feeds mainly on nectar from flowering shrubs, epiphytes and small trees. Recorded nectar sources include plants in the genera Cavendishia, Palicourea, Disterigma and Huilaea. The bird often clings to a flower while feeding and may hold its wings open briefly after landing.
Small insects are also taken, probably providing important protein. The species may capture insects by making short aerial sallies from a perch and can forage from the mid-storey to the canopy. Its feeding activity makes it a pollinator of montane plants, although the importance of this role varies among habitats and plant species.
Breeding records extend from approximately November to March in parts of the range. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest using materials such as moss and lichen, usually attaching it to a branch several metres above the ground. The clutch normally contains two eggs, and the female is responsible for incubation and early care of the young.
Identification Tips
- Look for a compact, mainly green hummingbird with a contrasting buff-and-bronze tail.
- The small white spot behind the eye and white leg tufts are useful features at close range.
- Cinnamon underwing coverts may flash in flight.
- The bird often perches briefly after feeding, giving a better view of the tail pattern than a rapidly hovering individual.
- The tail is the best feature separating it from the Velvet-purple Coronet, which has much more extensive purple plumage and a different overall appearance.
- The Chestnut-breasted Coronet is another possible comparison in parts of the range, but it has prominent chestnut underparts rather than the Buff-tailed Coronet’s mostly green and buff plumage.
Conservation Status
The Buff-tailed Coronet is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Its global population size and detailed population trend have not been established, and the species may be locally uncommon in parts of its range.
Habitat loss remains a potential concern because Andean montane forests are affected by agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, logging and other land-use changes. Changes in flowering patterns and cloud-forest conditions associated with climate change may also affect food availability. Protection of remaining montane forest, maintenance of habitat corridors and conservation of flowering plants are important measures for the species and the wider hummingbird community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Buff-tailed Coronet live?
It lives in the northern Andes, from western Venezuela through Colombia to Ecuador. It uses humid montane forest, cloud forest, forest edges and nearby shrubby habitats.
What does the Buff-tailed Coronet eat?
Its main food is nectar from flowering shrubs, epiphytes and small trees. It also takes small insects, particularly when breeding or when additional protein is needed.
How can the Buff-tailed Coronet be identified?
Look for its shining green body, short straight black bill, white mark behind the eye, white leg tufts and contrasting buff-and-bronze tail. Cinnamon underwing coverts may be visible in flight.
Is the Buff-tailed Coronet migratory?
No long-distance migration is known. It is generally considered resident, although individuals may move locally when flowering conditions change.
Where is the best place to see a Buff-tailed Coronet?
Reliable birding venues include Guango Lodge near Papallacta, Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve and Reserva Las Tangaras in the Mindo region of Ecuador. Sightings depend on local conditions and recent records.
References
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- IOC World Bird List
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Birds of the World
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