Bananaquits are small tanagers found from Mexico and the Bahamas south through the Antilles and Central America to much of northern South America. Bananaquits were once classified as Honeyeaters, but this family proved genetically to be a collection of unrelated species. Across this large range, their plumages are highly variable—41 races are described (Handbook of Birds of the World).
They are primarily necter-feeders, but will also consume fruits and insects. They are not birds of heavy forest, preferring shrubby forest borders. They probe their bills, hummingbird-style, into flowers. Sometimes they pierce the flower bases in search of nectar. They are easily attracted to bowls of sugar or to hummingbird feeders, where they can become both bold and tame. Such was the case at the Hummingbird Gallery cafe near Monteverde, Costa Rica, which we visited on 5 July 2017.
They are primarily necter-feeders, but will also consume fruits and insects. They are not birds of heavy forest, preferring shrubby forest borders. They probe their bills, hummingbird-style, into flowers. Sometimes they pierce the flower bases in search of nectar. They are easily attracted to bowls of sugar or to hummingbird feeders, where they can become both bold and tame. Such was the case at the Hummingbird Gallery cafe near Monteverde, Costa Rica, which we visited on 5 July 2017.
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