OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Selasphorus ("flame carrying") scintilla ("scintillant")
Adult female Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025
Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 2g / Length: 6.5-8cm / Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
One of the smallest birds on earth with only a handful of other hummingbirds smaller and at its smallest, a mere 4mm larger than the bee hummingbird, the very smallest. A close relation of the Volcano Hummingbird also found across a similar range, though at higher elevations - the females can only be reliably separated by seeing the underside of their tail. The males however have an irridescent orange gorget which separates them.
Related Species:
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selasphorus
SUBSPECIES: N/A
- Sighting Locations -
COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rican)- Colibrí chispita gorginaranja ("Sparkling orange-throated Hummingbird")
Endemic to the Talamancan Montane Forest Ecoregion
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at hummingbird feeders at San Gerardo de Dota
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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