About Selasphorus scintilla (Gould, 1851)
Selasphorus scintilla, commonly called the scintillant hummingbird, measures just 6.5–8 cm (2.6–3.1 in) in total length including the bill. Males weigh 2 g (0.071 oz), while females weigh 2.3 g (0.081 oz). It is one of the smallest bird species alive today, and is only marginally larger than the bee hummingbird. Its bill is short, straight, and black. Adult male scintillant hummingbirds have bronze-green upperparts and a rufous tail with black striping. They have a brilliant red throat, which is separated from their cinnamon-colored underparts by a white neck band. Females have a similar overall appearance, but their throat is buff with small green spots, and their flanks are a richer rufous. Juvenile birds resemble adult females, but have rufous fringes on their upperpart plumage. This hummingbird inhabits brushy forest edges, coffee plantations, and sometimes gardens. It occurs at altitudes between 900–2,000 m (3,000–6,600 ft), and can be found up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) when not breeding.
