attacks of territorial hummingbird species. Breeding The purple-crowned fairy usually breeds between October and March in Costa Rica; its breeding seasons elsewhere have not been documented. The female alone builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and cares for the young. It makes a small conical cup nest of plant down without the attached lichens of many other hummingbird nests. It places the nest near the tip of a thin branch, usually between above the ground and often over water. The clutch size is two eggs. The incubation time is 16 to 17 days with fledging 20 to 24 days after hatch. Vocalization The purple-crowned fairly is not highly vocal. It does make a call that has been described as "a high, thin, slightly metallic sssit, which may be run into longer rapid series." Status The IUCN has assessed the purple-crowned fairy as being of Least Concern. Its population is estimated to be at least 50,000 individuals but is believed to be decreasing. "Human activity probably has little short term effect on [the] Purple-crowned Fairy". References Further reading Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica External links Purple-crowned fairy videos at the Internet Bird Collection Photo; Article fireflyforest.net Photo-2 purple-crowned fairy Hummingbird species of Central America Birds of Mexico Birds of Belize Birds of Guatemala Birds of Honduras Birds of Nicaragua Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Panama Birds of Colombia Birds of Ecuador purple-crowned fairy purple-crowned fairy