White-necked Jacobin

Sightings
White-necked Jacobin is one of the most common species at the Asa Wright Centre and several birds are present at the feeders at any time during the day. This beautiful adult male bird was perched in heavy rain in the late afternoon very close to the verandah of the main lodge. Rather than hide from the rain, a large party of birds came into the open and flicked their tails showing bright white as a form of display in the darkening conditions. They appeared to enjoy the heavy storm and this bird in the photo may even have been drinking the rain water.

Species
White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora is a widespread inhabitant of forest, usually being seen at a high perch or just above the canopy. It is less common at lower levels, except near hummingbird feeders.

Status and distribution
A species of least concern in its range of nearly 12 million square kilometres. White-necked Jacobin is a large and attractive hummingbird that ranges from Mexico, south to Peru, Bolivia and south Brazil. The sub-species on Trinidad F. m. mellivora is also found from south Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil whereas the sub-species F. m. flabellifera is endemic to Tobago.

References
Asa Wright Centre; BirdLife; Wikipedia; World Bird Names; Kenefick, M., Restall, R., and Hayes, F. (2015) Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Bloomsbury Publishing, page 164

Photograph
1/1000th of a second, f5.6 and ISO 2000 in heavy rain and darkening light.