The stripe-tailed hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from southeastern Mexico to Panama.
Region
Mesoamerica
Typical Environment
Occurs from southeastern Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica to western Panama. It favors humid montane and cloud forests, forest edges, and semi-open second growth with abundant flowers. Frequently uses riparian corridors, clearings, and shade-coffee farms where native flowering shrubs are retained. Moves locally in response to blooming cycles, visiting both understory and mid-canopy nectar sources.
Altitude Range
600–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A medium-sized emerald hummingbird, the stripe-tailed hummingbird features bold white tips on the tail that create its namesake stripes. Males and females often show a rufous patch in the wing formed by chestnut secondaries, a hallmark of its genus. It is an important pollinator of montane forest plants and adapts well to semi-open habitats like shade-coffee plantations. Although locally common, it depends on healthy montane forests and flowering corridors.
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Generally solitary around feeding territories, with males defending rich flower patches vigorously. The female builds a tiny cup nest of plant down and spider silk on a horizontal branch or fork. Clutch is typically two eggs, and the female alone incubates and cares for the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are high, thin chips and buzzy trills given during foraging and territorial chases. Wing hum is audible at close range and can intensify during aggressive displays.
Plumage
Bright emerald-green upperparts and underparts with a slightly iridescent sheen; wings show a rufous patch from chestnut secondaries. The tail is dark with broad white tips on the outer feathers, creating bold stripes in flight.
Diet
Primarily consumes nectar from a variety of tubular flowers, including shrubs, epiphytes, and canopy blooms. Also gleans and hawks tiny arthropods for protein, especially during breeding. Selects flowers with high nectar output and revisits routes as plants replenish.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, flowering clearings, and riparian thickets, as well as within shade-coffee farms with native hedgerows. Uses both understory and mid-canopy strata, favoring dense patches of blooms.
