23-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - RIVOLI'S HUMMINGBIRD (Eugenes fulgens) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The Rivoli's hummingbird, or Eugenes fulgens, is a striking member of the hummingbird family. This species, also known as the magnificent hummingbird, is one of the largest hummingbirds found in the United States, sharing the title with the blue-throated hummingbird. Males are slightly larger than females, with a body length ranging from 11 to 14 cm and a wingspan of approximately 18 cm. They weigh between 6 to 10 grams. The Rivoli's hummingbird is a dazzling creature, particularly when sunlight illuminates its iridescent plumage, revealing a spectrum of vibrant colors.

The male Rivoli's hummingbird boasts a green-bronze dorsal side that transitions to a more bronzed hue on the black-tipped tail. Its crown shimmers with violet, while the throat gorget glows with a bright blue-green. The rest of the head is black, save for a white spot behind the eye, and the chest mirrors the green-bronze of the back, leading to a grayish belly. The female, on the other hand, is bronze-green dorsally with a dull gray underside and a distinctive white stripe behind her eye. Immature birds resemble the female but are darker and browner.

This species thrives in the mountainous regions, making its home in the interior and edges of pine-oak forests and cloud forests, from about 1,500 meters up to the timberline. It can also be found in secondary forests, grasslands, and is known to frequent bird feeders.

Rivoli's hummingbird has a breeding range that extends from the southwestern United States through to Honduras and Nicaragua.

Partially migratory, the Rivoli's hummingbird is a year-round resident from north-central Mexico to northern Nicaragua. It breeds in southeastern Arizona and possibly in southwestern New Mexico and other Mexican states but does not overwinter there. It is subordinate to the larger blue-throated hummingbird but coexists with various other hummingbird species.

The breeding season in the U.S. spans from May to July and may occur year-round in El Salvador. The female builds an open cup nest adorned with lichen, using soft feathers and moss bound with spider silk. The nest is typically placed on a horizontal branch or in a fork, often above streams and at least 6 meters off the ground. The female incubates two white eggs, with the incubation and fledging periods resembling those of other hummingbirds.

Rivoli's hummingbird feeds on nectar from a diverse array of flowering plants, with the specific varieties varying by season, elevation, and latitude. In some parts of Mexico, males defend feeding territories. The species also consumes small insects, which constitute a significant portion of its diet compared to other North American hummingbirds.