Green Thorntail

The green thorntail is another hummingbird I really enjoyed. I saw them in Ecuador at both Amagusa Preserve in Mashpi and the Bird Sanctuary in Milpe, 

The males and females look different. The male is mostly green, with a dark green crown, a bright green metallic throat and back, the breast and belly darker green with the center of the breast and back a lighter more metallic green. It has a coppery-bronze rump with a white stripe cross it, and a bluish-black tail with a fork in it which gives it its name. 

Interestingly, all my photos of males were taken at Mashpi and all the female photos were taken at Milpe. 

The female has a broad white cheek patch, a dull black chin with white spots, the flanks are green with a white spot, the breast and belly are dull black and the tail is not as long. It also has a white stripe across its rump. 

It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.