Juan Fernandez Firecrown
A species of Firecrowns Scientific name : Sephanoides fernandensis Genus : Firecrowns
Juan Fernandez Firecrown, A species of Firecrowns
Botanical name: Sephanoides fernandensis
Genus: Firecrowns
Content
Description General Info
Description
This species arguably shows the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism found among hummingbirds. Unlike in most hummingbirds, where females simply lack the ornamental plumage of the males, in S. fernandensis they are also brilliantly-colored, but differ so much from males that in the 19th century they were thought to be different species until a nest was discovered with one of each sex. The male is 11.5–12 cm long and weighs 10.9 g. Its color is mostly cinnamon orange, excepting dark grey wings, black bill, and iridescent gold crown. The female is 10 cm long and weighs 6.8 g. Its underparts are white with a dappling of very small green and black areas; the crown is iridescent blue, and upperparts are blue-green. 
Size
12 cm
Feeding Habits
Juan Fernandez Firecrown primarily feeds on nectar, particularly favoring Dendroseris littoralis and Rhaphithamnus venustus, also consumes insects. Prefers shaded, elevated flowers and defends rich food sources aggressively, especially during chick-rearing when insect intake rises.
Habitat
Juan Fernandez Firecrown typically inhabits forested areas, comprising plantations, thickets, and gardens with a preference for shady and sheltered environments. It thrives best in cultivated regions where there is native and largely endemic vegetation. This species is commonly observed in areas abundant with flowering Dendroseris trees, especially within broader geographical island regions.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Species Status
The population of this species has been in a general decline for years. A census made in October 2002 revealed fewer than 200 individual birds and of these only 60 females, although scientifically sound census methods have not yet been used to provide a reliable figure. The species is ranked Critically Endangered by Birdlife International. A conservation effort was begun in 2004 by a partnership of several organizations (The Hummingbird Society, American Bird Conservancy, and Juan Fernández Islands Conservancy, Oikonos - Ecosystem Knowledge) with the aim of preventing extinction of the species. Contributing factors to the decline in population include destruction of native flora by man; invasion of exotic zarzamora blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius) and maqui wineberry (Aristotelia chilensis), particularly by reducing the extent of the luma trees used for nesting; predation by domestic and feral cats; and erosion by actions of introduced rabbits and goats.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Swifts and hummingbirds Family
Hummingbirds Genus
Firecrowns Species
Juan Fernandez Firecrown 
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