Introduction
The Tolima Blossomcrown (Anthocephala berlepschi) is a small hummingbird endemic to Colombia. It occurs in the Central Andes, where it uses humid montane forest, secondary vegetation and some shaded agricultural landscapes. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the Santa Marta Blossomcrown, but is now recognised as a separate species by major modern bird taxonomies.
Physical Description
The Tolima Blossomcrown is approximately 8.4 centimetres long. Both sexes have a short, straight black bill, mainly green upperparts, greyish-buff underparts and a bronzy-green tail with broad white tips.
Adult males are particularly distinctive. They have a buffy-white forehead, a rufous-chestnut hindcrown, a white mark behind the eye and rusty tones on the lower back and upper tail-coverts. Females and immature birds are similar overall but have a more uniformly brownish crown and lack the male’s strongly contrasting crown pattern.
Range and Habitat
The species is endemic to Colombia. Its known range is concentrated in the Central Andes, especially around the slopes of Volcán Tolima in the departments of Tolima and Quindío. There has also been a record from farther south on the eastern slope towards Huila.
The Tolima Blossomcrown is generally found between about 1,200 and 2,300 metres above sea level. It favours humid premontane and montane forest, particularly the understorey, but may also occur in mature secondary growth, scrub along roads and field edges, and some shaded coffee-growing areas. The species is considered an altitudinal migrant, so local movements may follow changes in flowering and food availability.
Where to See This Species
Retorno del Colibrí Nature Reserve, Anaime, Tolima, Colombia
This private nature reserve near Anaime is a recognised birdwatching site for the Tolima Blossomcrown. Restored gardens, flowering plants and surrounding premontane forest provide suitable habitat at elevations within the species’ known range. The bird may be encountered while quietly watching flowering vegetation and forest edges.
Nearby accommodation: Anaime and Cajamarca provide practical bases with rural guesthouses, small hotels and lodge-style accommodation.
Acaime Nature Reserve, Salento, Quindío, Colombia
Acaime protects a substantial area of cloud forest on the western slope of the Central Cordillera and lies within the species’ documented protected-area range. The reserve is reached from the Cocora area by a marked walking route, and its forested trails provide suitable habitat for a quiet search, particularly around flowering understorey vegetation.
Nearby accommodation: Salento is the practical base, with hotels, guesthouses, fincas and other rural accommodation in and around the town and Cocora Valley.
Cueva de los Guácharos National Natural Park, Huila, Colombia
The Tolima Blossomcrown has been documented in this protected area, including under the older taxonomic treatment that grouped it with the Santa Marta Blossomcrown. The park contains well-preserved sub-Andean and Andean forest, and the species has historically been recorded in the park’s forest habitats. Access is regulated, so visitors should confirm current entry arrangements and guiding requirements before travelling.
Nearby accommodation: Palestina and Pitalito are the most practical gateway areas, offering guesthouses, hotels and rural accommodation for visits to the park.
Behaviour and Diet
The Tolima Blossomcrown is usually encountered alone while feeding in the understorey, secondary scrub or along forest edges. Its rapid wingbeats allow it to hover at flowers and move quickly through dense vegetation. Nectar is its principal food, and it probably takes small insects and other arthropods to supplement its energy and protein intake.
Males have been observed gathering in small song-leks within closed-canopy forest. Breeding activity has been recorded in September and October, although detailed information about nesting, clutch size and parental care remains limited. As with other hummingbirds, its movements and local abundance are likely to be influenced by flowering patterns.
Identification Tips
- Look for a very small hummingbird, about 8.4 centimetres long, with green upperparts and a short, straight black bill.
- The adult male has a buffy-white forehead, a rufous-chestnut hindcrown, a white mark behind the eye and rusty tones on the lower back.
- The broad white tail tips are conspicuous when the bird fans or turns its tail.
- Females and immature birds have a duller, more uniformly brownish crown and can be less immediately distinctive.
- Search low in the forest understorey, along shaded roadsides and at flowering shrubs rather than looking only in the canopy.
- The Santa Marta Blossomcrown is the closest genuine comparison, but the two species are geographically separated. In the Tolima Blossomcrown’s range, the combination of small size, green plumage, white tail tips and the male’s rufous-chestnut crown is useful for identification.
Conservation Status
The Tolima Blossomcrown is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. BirdLife International reports an estimated population of approximately 1,000 to 4,500 mature individuals, with a decreasing trend.
The principal threats are the loss and conversion of humid montane forest, habitat fragmentation and the expansion of agriculture, including coffee production and grazing. Climate change may also alter the distribution of suitable habitats and flowering resources in the mountains.
Important conservation measures include protecting remaining forest fragments, maintaining habitat connections between them, restoring degraded areas and supporting sustainable land use in rural buffer zones. Protected areas such as Los Nevados, Acaime and Cueva de los Guácharos contribute to the species’ conservation, although further surveys are needed to clarify its current distribution and population.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Tolima Blossomcrown found?
It is endemic to Colombia and occurs mainly in the Central Andes, especially in Tolima and Quindío, with additional records towards Huila.
What habitat does the Tolima Blossomcrown use?
It uses humid premontane and montane forest, mature secondary growth, forest edges, roadside scrub and, occasionally, shaded coffee plantations.
How large is the Tolima Blossomcrown?
The species is approximately 8.4 centimetres long, making it a small hummingbird.
What does the Tolima Blossomcrown eat?
It feeds mainly on flower nectar and is also thought to take small insects and other arthropods for additional nutrients.
When is the best time to look for this species?
It can be sought throughout the year in suitable habitat, but local activity may increase where plants are flowering. Breeding activity has been recorded in September and October.
Is the Tolima Blossomcrown endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable. Habitat loss, agricultural conversion and fragmentation are the main recognised threats, and the population is considered to be declining.
References
- BirdLife International
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia
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