Like other members of the hummingbird family, the White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) is remarkable for its dazzling plumage and unique wing structure, which makes it extremely adept at manoeuvring with incredible agility through the forest.

Male white-necked jacobin

The beautiful white-necked jacobin is usually seen on its own in the forest, although occasionally small groups may gather, alongside other hummingbirds, at flowering trees. At these trees, the hummingbirds feed on nectar, probing the flowers with their long, specialised bills to obtain the sugar-rich liquid, and sometimes becoming aggressive as they compete for this valuable resource.

​​The male of this species has a shimmering blue head and chest, and bright iridescent green upperparts. This contrasts starkly with the snow white plumage of the belly, the broad white crescent on the back of the neck, and the white tail, which is tipped with black. The plumage of female white-necked jacobins is highly variable; a female may have the same plumage as a male, and only be distinguished by its longer bill and shorter wings and tail, or it may differ from the male by having blue-green on the breast, a dull white belly, and a mostly green tail with a dark blue tip. Both the male and female have black feet and a straight black bill.

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References:

1. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Sargatal, J. (1999) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 5: Barn-Owls to Hummingbirds. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

2. Burnie, D. (2001) Animal. Dorling Kindersley, London.

3. Primack, R.B. and Corlett, R. (2005) Tropical Rain Forests. Blackwell Publishing, UK.

4. Ridgely, R.S., Gwynne Jr, J.A. and Gwynne, J.A. (1992) A Guide to the Birds of Panama. Princeton University Press, New Jersey.

5. Wallace, A.R. (2000) Natural Selection and Tropical Nature. Adamant Media Corporation, Boston, USA.

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