Juan Fernández firecrown

Description

The hummingbird of Juan Fernández ( Sephanoides fernandensis ) or red hummingbird (by the color of the male) is a species of apodiforme bird of the family of hummingbirds (Trochilidae).It is endemic to the Juan Fernández archipelago,in Chile.It is in danger of extinction and the last censuses (2005-2006) estimate a population of between 2,500 and 3,000.It is a small bird that presents sexual dimorphism.The male is 12 cm long and weighs 11 g.Its plumage is orange except for the wings that are dark gray,the gray bill and the iridescent golden crown.The female is 10 cm long and weighs 7 g.At the bottom it is white mottled with small green and black areas,the crown is iridescent blue,and above it is blue and green.The great differences in color between the two sexes of this bird (the largest among hummingbirds),made naturalists believe in the nineteenth century,including Claudio Gay - that they were two different species,until a nest was found where there was an individual of each gender.