Nectar Hunters
Was that a bright blue hummingbird that just flew by? Well, in Costa Rica, chances are it was one of the honeycreepers, a group of Central and South American birds related to tanagers. Like hummingbirds, honeycreepers sport iridescent plumage, but hummingbirds actually are descended from swifts and swallows. There are also Hawaiian honeycreepers, but they are a distinct group related to finches.
There are a number of related birds that are considered honeycreepers in Costa Rica. One of the most common is the green honeycreeper, the male of which sports a black mask and electric green plumage.
Others are the red-legged and shining honeycreepers, whose males are bright blue during the breeding season in order to attract females. Two Dacnis species, the blue and scarlet-thighed Dacnis, also belong to the Costa Rican honeycreepers. Dacnis boast rich hues of blue and green along with black trim in their feathers.
All of the Costa Rican honeycreepers are somewhat unusual in their fondness for nectar. Though they feed primarily on fruit and insects, honeycreepers have long, curved, pointed beaks that enable them to dip into the center of a flower for a sweet snack, in the process transferring pollen from one flower to another.
Thus, the honeycreeper plays an important ecological role, helping to pollinate a number of species of shrubs and trees, including the ice cream bean (Inga sp.) and coral bean trees (Erythrina sp.). However, honeycreepers also occasionally use their pointy beaks to pierce the base of flowers, thereby robbing nectar without transferring pollen.
Honeycreepers are fairly common birds throughout the lowlands of both Costa Rican coasts, where they can be observed in rainforests and tropical gardens. Eco-lodge birdfeeders are often one of the best places to spot honeycreepers, which are attracted to ripe plantains, juicy papaya and orange slices, apparently even more so during the dry season when water is scarce.
Ecotourism and Nature 
