Antillean Crested Hummingbird

Description:

This is the smallest species of bird on Dominica and therefore the smallest of the four species of hummingbirds on the island. This tiny little bird (8.5-9.5cm or 3.25-3.75") is named because of the obvious pointed green/blue crest that adorns the male.

Habitat:

This little one was sitting on the outer edge of rich, moist mountain forest in Syndicate.

Notes:

Despite the size of this bird it is not afraid of displaying aggression to birds much larger than it e.g. Gray Kingbird or kingfishers. On a bird tour with 'Dr Birdy' Bertrand Baptiste I watched a little male display to another Crested Hummingbird! It looked like a little dance in the air as he had his tail all fanned out like a skirt. Reference for identification: "Dominica's Birds", p85, Arlington James, Stephen Durand, and Bertrand Jno Baptiste.