White-necked Jacobin

Subspecies flabellifera
Photo by Steve G
Arnos Vale, Tobago, July 2006

Florisuga mellivora

Identification

11–12 cm (4¼-4¾ in)

Male

Nominate subspecies
Photo by DABS
Arima, Trinidad, May 2017

• Dark blue head and breast
• White lower breast and abdomen
• White crescent on nape, and rest of upperside is greenish
• White tail with minimal black edges (juvenile male have solid black end of rectrices)

Female

• Similar (sometimes identical) but most often differs in being bronze-green above
• Green feathers on throat and breast having white tips giving a scaly appearance
• Black subterminal band on tail and tipped white
• Bill is black and straight, but with drooping tip

Variations

The subspecies flabellifera is larger (and see the upper picture).

Distribution

Female of nominate subspecies
Photo by Pitter
Dapa, Colombia, December 2003

The nominate subspecies is widespread from southern Mexico through Central America (but not Caribbean) to Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil; range includes Trinidad.

Subspecies flabellifera is only known from Tobago.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 2 subspecies^[1]:

• F. m. mellivora:

• Tropical southern Mexico to northern Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil; Trinidad

• F. m. flabellifera:

• Tobago (southern Lesser Antilles)

Habitat

Found in forested areas including edges, from just above sea level to around 1300 meters. A variety of semi-open habitats. More often at canopy than low.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet consists of nectar from a variety of flowers, and insects.

Gallery

Click on photo for larger image

• 

  Juvenile, subspecies mellivora
  Photo by Stanley Jones
  Aconabikh Centre, Tarapoto, San Martín, Peru, December 2016

• 

  Photo by scottishdude
  Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica, March 2011

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2017)

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-necked Jacobin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 22 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-necked_Jacobin

External Links

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