The buffy helmetcrest is a Vulnerable species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia.
Region
Colombian Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in high-elevation páramo shrublands and open grasslands with abundant Espeletia. It forages along windswept ridges, rocky slopes, and in sheltered gullies where flowering plants are concentrated. The species is closely tied to seasonal blooms and may shift locally to track nectar availability. It avoids dense forest, favoring open, scrubby, or boggy páramo mosaics near the upper treeline and above.
Altitude Range
3200–5000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This high-Andean hummingbird relies heavily on the flowers of Espeletia (frailejones) in páramo habitats. Males sport an ornate spiky crest and a buffy throat “beard” used in display. To survive cold nights at high elevation, it can enter torpor, lowering its body temperature to conserve energy. Burning and grazing of páramo vegetation pose significant threats to its food supply.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Typically forages alone and vigorously defends rich nectar patches, especially blooming Espeletia. Courtship involves aerial chases and display of the crest and beard. The cup nest is built by the female from plant fibers and lichens, often placed low in páramo vegetation.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are thin, high-pitched chips and buzzy trills delivered from perches near flowering shrubs. Wing hum is audible at close range and may include mechanical trills during display.
Plumage
Buffy to cinnamon underparts with dusky streaking; upperparts bronzy- to olive-green and slightly iridescent. Male has a long, spiky white crest and a prominent buffy throat beard; female has a shorter crest and lacks the full beard. Tail dark with pale edges, moderately notched.
Diet
Primarily consumes nectar from páramo plants such as Espeletia and other high-Andean shrubs. Supplements its diet with small arthropods gleaned from foliage or caught in short sallies for protein. It adjusts foraging routes to track seasonal flowering peaks and may revisit rich patches repeatedly.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open páramo with scattered shrubs and frailejón stands, along edges of bogs and sheltered ravines where flowers are concentrated. Often selects leeward slopes and sunlit patches to conserve heat while foraging.
