One of the most striking and charming hummingbirds in the tropical forests of Central America, especially in Costa Rica, western Panama, and parts of Nicaragua. Despite being tiny, the snowcap is a true showstopper, thanks to its vivid, shimmering colors and its unmistakable bright white “snowy” cap that shines like a tiny beacon in the forest greenery.

Male snowcaps are brilliant metallic purplish-bronze all over their bodies, contrasting sharply with the pure white patch on the top of their heads. Their wings are a dark brownish-black, and their small, straight black bills are perfectly adapted for sipping nectar from tiny, tubular flowers. Females are less flashy but still beautiful, with bronze-green backs, pale gray underparts, and a less prominent, lightly frosted crown — making the males look even flashier by comparison.

Snowcaps are specialists of mid-elevation forests, thriving in areas like cloud forests, edges of rainforests, and plantation borders. They prefer places rich with flowering shrubs, where they can find their favorite nectar sources. Like many hummingbirds, snowcaps are high-energy birds that feed frequently throughout the day to fuel their rapid wingbeats — their wings beat so fast (up to 80 times per second) that they create a soft buzzing sound as they move.

Despite their delicate appearance, snowcaps are feisty and territorial! Males will aggressively defend their favorite patches of flowers from other hummingbirds, using dramatic aerial dives and even tiny “buzzing charges” to chase intruders away.

Another quirky detail: snowcaps have specialized tongues with tube-like tips that allow them to lap up nectar super quickly — around 13 licks per second! While nectar is their main food source, they also snap up tiny insects and spiders to get the extra protein needed for survival and reproduction.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Belize

2016

Costa Rica

2016

El Salvador

2016

Guatemala

2016

Honduras

2016

Mexico

2016

Nicaragua

2016

Panama

2016