This bird actually does use its specialized bill to pierce flowers and extract nectar. It eludes the attacks of hummingbirds defending flowers by retreating to dense foliage. Common resident of higher elevations. Photographed at Savegre Mtn Lodge, Costa Rica. Range Costa Rica to W. Panama. I just picked up an interesting book 'A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names' by James Jobling, a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds who has an interest in languages and ornithology who gives the derivation and meaning of scientific bird names. Diglossa: from Greek meaning double-tongued (orignially in the sense of being bilingual) the flower-piercers have specialized tongues for nectar feeding.