Collared Inca

Overview

The Collared Inca is a distinctive cloud-forest hummingbird found along the Andes, where it inhabits humid forest interior and edges at middle to upper elevations. Its striking white chest patch against dark plumage makes it one of the more readily identifiable Andean hummingbirds.

Both sexes show generally similar dark, glossy plumage with a prominent white breast patch, though subtle differences in gloss and underpart extent of white can help separate males and females.

Feather Identification

• Body feathers: Glossy blackish-green overall, with a coppery or bronze sheen on the back in good light
• Breast feathers: Bold, well-defined white patch crossing the upper chest, contrasting sharply with the dark surrounding plumage
• Tail feathers: Dark with white tips or edges on the outer feathers, visible when the tail is fanned
• Shaft color: Dark above, pale within the white breast patch
• Size: Medium-sized, larger-bodied than many forest hummingbirds sharing its range
• Similar species: The bold white chest collar is distinctive; no other similarly dark Andean hummingbird shows such a sharply defined white breast band

Plumage Details

Adults are mostly glossy blackish-green with a conspicuous white patch across the breast and white tips on the outer tail feathers. Some subspecies show a small white spot behind the eye. Sexes are generally similar, though females can appear slightly duller. Juveniles resemble adults but with less defined gloss and a less crisp white breast patch until after their first molt. No strong seasonal plumage change occurs.

Habitat & Range

Collared Incas are found in humid montane and cloud forest along the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia, typically at middle to upper elevations within forest interior and edge habitats. The species is resident and non-migratory throughout its range.

Behavior & Field Notes

This hummingbird feeds on nectar from a range of understory and canopy flowers, often trap-lining regular routes between blooms, and supplements its diet with small insects caught in flight. It can be territorial around rich nectar sources, chasing off other hummingbirds. Nests are cup-shaped, built from moss and plant fibers on sheltered branches. Calls include sharp chips and buzzy chatter notes typical of forest hummingbirds.