Black jacobin

Photo by Luis Florit (Luis Adráin Florit Homepage)

Common name:
black jacobin (en); beija-flor-preto-e-branco (pt); colibri demi-deuil (fr); colibrí negro (es); schwarzkolibri (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Apodiformes
Family Trochilidae


Range:
These birds are found in eastern and south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay, eastern Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina.


Size:
Black jacobins are 12-13 cm long and weigh 8 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in a wide range of habitats including moist forests, degraded former forests, plantations, rural gardens and even within urban areas.


Diet:
Black jacobins rely mostly on the nectar of various plants, but will also eat small spiders and insects.


Breeding:
These birds are polygynous, with males mating with several females and having no further involvement in reproduction. The female builds the cup-shaped nest out of plant fibers woven together and green moss on the outside for camouflage in a protected location in a scrub, bush or tree. There she lays 2 white eggs which she incubates alone for 12 days. She feeds the chicks until fledging, which takes place 20 days after hatching. 


Conservation:
IUCN status – LC (Least concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population trend is undetermined, but the species is not considered threatened at present.