Looking specifically at hummingbirds, I find that of Costa Rica’s 51 species (50 + 1, because of the recently discovered Rufous-crested Coquette) I have so far been able to find only 32 of them in the province of Cartago. Here are a few really nice photos, taken by friends, of some of our Cartago hummingbirds:

Male Green-crowned Brilliant at San Rafael de Santa Cruz, courtesy of Larry Waddell

The Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula) is mostly found on the Caribbean slope, where it is rated as fairly common. Here in my immediate area this forest species is not at all easy to find, but Larry was able to get the beautiful photo above at a friend’s feeders at Cabañas El Bosque in nearby San Rafael.

If you see a small, brown hummingbird in our area, it is most likely to be the Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis guy). This bird was formerly known as the Little Hermit, which distinguished it from the also brownish Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus), a species that has not appeared here locally, to my knowledge, since it much prefers the lowlands. John Beer’s photo of the Stripe-throated Hermit (no stripes on the throat in its Costa Rica range!!) is from his garden in Santa Rosa:

Stripe-throated Hermit, courtesy of John Beer. Note the slightly decurved bill.

Much more common around here than either of the above is the White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), which is easily found for most of the year here near Turrialba. Larry’s photo shows the handsome male, while the duller female is mostly speckled below:

Male White-necked Jacobin in flight at San Rafael, courtesy of Larry Waddell. The white neck is here barely visible.