The Oaxaca hummingbird or blue-capped hummingbird is an endangered species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Region
Southern Mexico
Typical Environment
Occurs on the Pacific slope of the Sierra Madre del Sur within the state of Oaxaca. It inhabits humid evergreen and cloud forests, as well as pine–oak edges, second-growth thickets, and traditional shade coffee plantations. The species favors ravines and streamside corridors where flowering trees and shrubs are abundant. Its range is highly localized and patchy due to ongoing habitat conversion and fragmentation.
Altitude Range
700–1700 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the blue-capped hummingbird, it is restricted to a small area of the Sierra Madre del Sur in Oaxaca, Mexico. It often uses traditional shade coffee plantations, making sustainable coffee farming an important conservation ally. Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats, and protecting humid montane forests is critical for its survival.
Temperament
alert and territorial at feeding sites
Flight Pattern
rapid hovering with short darting flights
Social Behavior
Generally solitary at flowers, with males defending rich nectar sources against intruders. Nests are small, cup-shaped structures placed on horizontal branches or in forked twigs in the understory to midstory. Breeding is thought to occur during the local wet season when floral resources peak.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives high, thin chips and short buzzy trills, often while hovering near flowers. Vocalizations are soft and easily overlooked against forest background sounds.
Plumage
Male with an iridescent blue crown, glossy green upperparts, and mostly whitish underparts with green flanks; wings show warm rufous tones. Female lacks the bright blue crown, appearing greener headed with paler underparts and similar rufous in the wings. Both sexes have a slightly shimmering, clean plumage typical of hummingbirds.
Diet
Feeds primarily on nectar from a variety of native blossoms, including flowering shrubs and canopy trees, and frequently uses shade coffee flowers when available. Supplements energy needs with small insects and spiders, which provide essential proteins. Employs hovering to probe flowers and hawking or gleaning to capture arthropods.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, clearings, and riparian corridors where flowers are concentrated. Often visits traditional shade coffee plantations and secondary growth with diverse flowering strata.
