Photo: Michael Woodruff from Spokane, Washington, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Snowcap
Microchera albocoronata
Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) — Hummingbirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 2.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Microchera
- Species albocoronata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Snowcap is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Snowcap is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Honduras to Panama.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 2.7 g, with a wing length of about 4.1 cm and a tail of around 2.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 77,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Snowcap?
The Snowcap is a very small bird that weighs around 2.7 g.
Where does the Snowcap live?
The Snowcap is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Honduras to Panama, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Snowcap belong to?
The Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Snowcap eat?
The Snowcap is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Snowcap migrate?
The Snowcap is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Snowcap endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Snowcap make?
1 real field recording of the Snowcap — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Snowcap's range?
The Snowcap has a mapped global range of about 77,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Least Concern
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Least Concern
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Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.