Selva Verde – Costa Rica Eco-Lodge Updates

The rufous-tailed hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) is a medium-sized perky, active and aggressive species that occurs in a variety of habitats. It prefers open scrubby areas, gardens and plantations. It regularly visits nectar-feeders.

Males are extraordinarily vocal, some singing all day virtually non-stop. The call is shrill, raspy and often metallic, sometimes repeated in bursts.

Research in Costa Rica shows that these hummingbirds often become entangled in spider webs (sometimes fatally). They are apparently drawn to the webs by entrapped insects upon which they sometimes feed.

This species occurs regularly at Selva Verde and in the surrounding countryside. It is a tame species, easily approached, often frequenting the gardens near the cabins.