The Story
I photographed this Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) at La Esmeralda Hostal, in the vereda Pastales near Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia, in October 2019. Males have a violet crown, upper back and belly with a glittering green throat, while females are green above and gray below. It feeds at epiphytes, large herbs, shrubs and small trees, usually in covered or semi-open places. Both sexes defend rich nectar sources. It ranges from Belize and Guatemala to far northern Peru. IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though its numbers are believed to be falling.
I used a Pentax K-1 with the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 for this one, at 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800. The lodge’s birding walks are led by ornithologist Pedro Bahamón, with an emphasis on respect for the wildlife.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) belongs to the family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2023), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
