Species of the day –March 3, 2013– Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)

Photo by Sarah Hadley

Just because a species is common, or we see it all the time, doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting. I thought that it was about time we mention this common species of hummingbird. Rufous-tailed hummingbirds are a mid-sized. They are similar in weight to the green-hermits (a bit lighter), but they have a much shorter bill and behave very differently ecologically. Rufous-tails are territorial hummingbirds meaning that they defend flower resources and drive off other hummingbirds that try to visit them. We hear these guys chattering all over the place. They seem to do very well in disturbed areas and are probably one of the most common visitors to people’s gardens here in Costa Rica.