Indigo-capped Hummingbird

Indigo‑capped Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanifrons)

Name Origin:
The genus Saucerottia honors Adolphe Saucerotte, a French physician and naturalist. The species epithet cyanifrons comes from Latin cyanos meaning “deep blue” and frons meaning “forehead,” referring to its distinctive indigo‑blue crown.

Quick Facts
🪶 Length: ~7 cm
⚖️ Weight: ~5 g
🌎 Range: Endemic to Colombia
🧭 Elevation: From ~400 m up to ~3,000 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Edges of humid forest, savanna, shrubby areas, secondary growth and gardens
🧬 Clade: Trochilini “Emeralds”
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic — no subspecies recognised.

Species Overview
The Indigo‑capped Hummingbird is a small, vibrant hummingbird found only in Colombia. Males have an indigo‑blue crown, shining green upperparts, and golden‑green underparts. Females are slightly duller with a turquoise‑blue rear crown and a grayish bar across the throat. The bird inhabits semi‑open landscapes including forest edges, thickets, and gardens. It forages on nectar from a variety of flowers and also takes small insects. Males are territorial around feeding areas.

Male Description:
Indigo‑blue crown, shimmering green upperparts, bronze to coppery rump, deep steel blue tail, and golden‑green underparts.

Female Description:
Turquoise‑blue towards the rear of the crown, green upperparts, paler underparts, and a grayish bar on the throat.

Habitat & Behavior:
Found mainly in edges of wet forests, savanna patches, shrub‑dominated zones, and gardens where flowering plants are present. Elevational range is broad. It feeds at flowers and defends feeding territories, and may move seasonally with flowering cycles.

Conservation Note:
Although local populations may face habitat changes, the Indigo‑capped Hummingbird remains widespread within its Colombian range and is currently assessed as Least Concern. Its adaptability to some modified landscapes (gardens, edges) helps its status.