Interactions between the Firecrown Hummingbird Sephanoides sephaniodes and plants of the Nothofagus forests at Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina

Abstract

In two areas at Nahuel Huapi National Park the Firecrown Hummingbird Sephanoides sephaniodes, the only local hummingbird, visited 11 and three plant species, respectively. Pollen loads in the bills and head feathers of 48 hummingbirds contained pollen of 12 plant species; pollen of seven native plants was abundant. The seven plants, in the genera Embothrium, Tristerix, Fuchsia, Campsidium, Desfontainia, Mitraria and Asteranthera, had ornithophilous flowers with nectars rich in sugars (23.02 to 37.97° Brix). A positive correlation between the abundance of these flowers and hummingbirds was found. Wintering hummingbirds occurred at the locality having the winter-blooming mistletoe Tristerix. Morphological data for Sephanoides suggests territorial foraging, but field data indicate variable behaviour.