Coppery-headed Emerald
| Coppery-headed Emerald | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Trochiliformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Elvira |
| Species: | E. cupreiceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Elvira cupreiceps (Lawrence, 1867) |
|
The Coppery-headed Emerald (Elvira cupreiceps) is a small hummingbird endemic to Costa Rica. It measures a mere 3 in (7.6 cm) in length, and weighs only 3 g (0.11 oz).[2] The male has distinctive coppery crown and rump with a whole green belly and white vent. The female has a white belly and a narrow black subterminal band on white outer rectrices of the tail. Its noticeably decurved bill sets it apart from similar the allopatric White-tailed Emerald.
This species is fairly common at middle elevations on Caribbean Slope, south to Reventazon River; from 600 to 1,500 meters. Also it is fairly common on Pacific slope of Guanacaste and Tilaran Cordilleras; from 1,200 to 1,500 meters.
Like all hummingbirds, the Coppery-headed Emerald feeds primarily on nectar. Because its bill is short, it forages at small flowers, including those in the genera Besleria, Cavendishia, Clusia, Guarea, Pithecellobium, Quararibea and Satyria.[2] It feeds at all levels in mature wet montane forest and forest edges.
Males form small leks at middle levels of forest edges.
.jpg)
[edit] References
- ^ BirdLife International (2009). Elvira cupreiceps. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 15 February 2012.
- ^ a b Henderson, Carrol L.; Adams, Steve (2002). Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-292-71965-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=TxpqRO8dB8AC&pg=PA160&dq=coppery-headed+emerald&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xCg7T8DEEset0AGuwrjRCw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=coppery-headed%20emerald&f=false.
The Birds of Costa Rica by Richard Garriguez and Robert Dean. Zona Tropical ISBN 10:0-9705678-5-5
[edit] External links
- Coppery-headed Emerald videos on the Internet Bird Collection
 |
This hummingbird-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
