The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus)!

When it is sitting in the shade, it has an appearance that is drab and blackish-brown, but when the sun hits its feathers just a little bit, it transforms into a gem.

It is a little species of hummingbird that ranges in length from around 3.15 to 3.54 inches and weighs between about 4 and 5 grams.

The bodies of adult males are a dark brown color with an olive sheen. Wings are dark-gray. The tip of the tail is black. The tail is a rich chestnut color.

The throat and breast are an iridescent golden color, and they can even be an emerald green color at times.
They have a shiny ruby-red coloration on the forehead, crown, and nape of their head, which can also be more orange.

The black bill is relatively brief and has a straight profile. Eyes have a deep chocolate color. The lower legs and feet have a bluish-black hue.

Females have copper-green upperparts. The center rectrices of the tail are an olive green color, while the rest of the rectrices are a vivid chestnut color. There is a white tip and a subterminal band that is a dark purple color.

Underparts are pale gray. (Sometimes, birds from Trinidad and Tobago have a greenish-golden stripe that runs from the chin all the way down to the breast.)

The appearance of immature birds is very similar to that of mature females. They have a white dot located in the back of the eye. The outer rectrices of the tail have a dark violet color, and their tips are white.

It makes sounds like chirps and whistles at a high pitch. The calls are extremely brief and are delivered from an exposed perch as advertising sounds “tliii, tliii, tliii…” in the background.Both males and females are capable of making aggressive sounds, which consist of a string of fast chattering.

Takes nectar from the blooms of various plant species, including trees, shrubs, cactus, and cultivated plants. In addition to this, it hunts flying insects with its hawk-like beak and searches the undergrowth for arthropods.

It is common in locations with cleared land, open country, agricultural areas, and gardens, where it forages anywhere from the ground to the treetops.

It is typically observed from the level of the sea to the shrubby and parched hillsides, up to an elevation of 1700 meters, although most commonly below 500 meters.

Breeds in the tropical rainforests of northern South America, from the southern tip of Panama through Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guyanas, all the way down to the center of Brazil and into northern Bolivia.

In addition, it can be found on islands, such as Trinidad & Tobago and the Lesser Antilles.

The nest is quite small and cup-shaped, and it is constructed from of very fine materials like plant fibers and spider webs. The outside is adorned with lichens and shards of bark in various shapes and sizes. It is perched in the fork of a little branch at a height of around one to four meters off the ground.

The female lays 2 eggs, and incubates during 15 – 16 days.