The Crowned Woodnymph, known scientifically as Thalurania colombica, is a dazzling species of hummingbird belonging to the emeralds tribe, Trochilini. This avian jewel exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males adorned in violet and green, while females wear a more subdued palette of greens and grays.
Male Crowned Woodnymphs measure between 9.5 to 11.5 cm in length and weigh a mere 4 to 5.5 grams. They boast a violet forehead, crown, upper back, and belly, with a dark bronzy green nape and a bluish green lower back and rump. Their throat and chest shimmer in glittering green, and they possess a deeply forked, blue-black tail. Females, slightly smaller at 8.5 to 9.2 cm and weighing 3.5 to 4.2 grams, have bright green upperparts and a pale gray underbelly, with their tails featuring blue-black with white-tipped outer feathers.
These birds favor the interiors, edges, and clearings of humid primary and mature secondary forests. They are also found in semi-open landscapes such as coffee and cacao plantations and gardens, but avoid open scrublands.
The Crowned Woodnymph is found from Belize and Guatemala to far-northern Peru, with seven recognized subspecies distributed across this range.
This species exhibits altitudinal movement post-breeding in Costa Rica and local movements to follow flowering events. Both sexes defend rich nectar sources, with females showing more aggression in territory defense.
