Step into the mesmerizing world of the Frilled Coquette, a stunningly beautiful hummingbird adorned with a vibrant orange crest, a delicate collar of white and green feathers around its neck, and a striking red beak edged with a contrasting black tip.
This mesmerizing bird inhabits eastern and southern Brazil, extending into Bolivia and Paraguay, occasionally sighted as far north as Alagoas. It calls semi-open to open landscapes home, including the edges of humid forests, secondary forests, coffee plantations, gardens, and closed forests, with habitats ranging from sea level to elevations up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
Sustaining itself by consuming small arthropods and nectar from various small flowering plants, the Frilled Coquette captures insects by calling from perches located 2 to 5 m (7 to 20 ft) above the ground and shows deference to larger hummingbirds.
During the breeding season, which extends from August to March, females build cup-shaped nests of plant down and moss, often adorned with lichens on the outside. Incubation, carried out by the female, lasts 12 to 13 days, with fledging occurring approximately 20 days after hatching.
Though predominantly silent, the Frilled Coquette makes a brief “spark” sound while feeding, emitting a low, bee-like hum as it floats on air currents.
