These small flightless birds live in hills and caves where precious metal and ores can be found. Their feathers bear a brilliant metallic shine in bright light, and even glow in areas of darkness, with their color reflecting the type of ore the alicanto has most recently consumed. When they lay eggs, the shells are typically made of the same metal, and cruel hunters may poach their eggs to sell or melt down. Some alicantos are coppery green, but most commonly their feathers are cool silver or burnished gold. Their feathers are always a glowing, gleaming silvery-white.