The White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) is one of Costa Rica’s most striking and easily recognizable hummingbirds. Often seen around forest edges, gardens, and shaded coffee farms, this species stands out with its brilliant sapphire-blue head and chest, crisp white belly, and the distinctive white band on the back of its neck—the feature that gives it its name. Males also show bold white tail feathers that flash as they dart and hover.
In Costa Rica, the White-necked Jacobin is common in the Caribbean lowlands and foothills, especially in humid rainforest zones such as Sarapiquí, Tortuguero, Arenal, and the Talamanca foothills. They are frequent visitors at feeders, where they often display energetic, spiraling flight patterns while chasing away smaller hummingbirds.
Their behavior is as flashy as their plumage: males perform dramatic, arcing flight displays, while both sexes spend much of the day darting between flowering shrubs and canopy blooms. Females look quite different from males—typically green above with mottled throats—making the species one of Costa Rica’s more visually polymorphic hummingbirds.
Overall, the White-necked Jacobin is a vibrant symbol of Costa Rica’s tropical lowland forests, delighting birdwatchers with its color, charisma, and constant activity.
The White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) is one of Costa Rica’s most striking and easily recognizable hummingbirds. Often seen around forest edges, gardens, and shaded coffee farms, this species stands out with its brilliant sapphire-blue head and chest, crisp white belly, and the distinctive white band on the back of its neck—the feature that gives it its name. Males also show bold white tail feathers that flash as they dart and hover.
In Costa Rica, the White-necked Jacobin is common in the Caribbean lowlands and foothills, especially in humid rainforest zones such as Sarapiquí, Tortuguero, Arenal, and the Talamanca foothills. They are frequent visitors at feeders, where they often display energetic, spiraling flight patterns while chasing away smaller hummingbirds.
Their behavior is as flashy as their plumage: males perform dramatic, arcing flight displays, while both sexes spend much of the day darting between flowering shrubs and canopy blooms. Females look quite different from males—typically green above with mottled throats—making the species one of Costa Rica’s more visually polymorphic hummingbirds.
Overall, the White-necked Jacobin is a vibrant symbol of Costa Rica’s tropical lowland forests, delighting birdwatchers with its color, charisma, and constant activity.