Violet-headed Hummingbird – Mistico Park, CR

A Violet-headed Hummingbird worked the purple flowers near the entrance to Mistico Park in Costa Rica. The male’s deep violet-blue crown and throat can look almost black until sunlight catches them at the right angle. A small white spot behind the eye provides another useful field mark. This species favors humid forest edges, clearings, gardens, and flowering shrubs throughout Costa Rica’s Caribbean slope. Violet-headed Hummingbirds feed heavily on nectar but also grab tiny insects for protein. For such a small bird, it certainly knows how to make purple look good.