Coppery-headed emerald

Elvira cupreiceps

Photo by Ferran Vaquero (Internet Bird Colection)

Common name:

coppery-headed emerald (en); beija-flor-de-cabeça-acobreada (pt); colibri à tête cuivrée (fr); esmeralda capirotada (es); bronzekopf-elvirakolibri (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Apodiformes

Family Trochilidae

Range:

This bird is endemic to Costa Rica. It is only found in the mountain ranges in the north and central parts of the country, in Cordillera de Guanacaste and Cordillera de Tilarán.

Size:

These small hummingbirds are 7,5 cm long and weigh just 3,2 g.

Habitat:

They are found in the canopies and edges of tropical and sub-tropical mountain moist forests at altitudes of 700-1500 m.

Diet:

The coppery-headed emerald mostly eats nectar and small beetles.

Breeding:

Males take no part in the nesting process. The female build a nest cup in a tree, typically made of lichens and spider webs. There she lays 2 white eggs which she incubates alone for 14-19 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although they have a small breeding range, the coppery-headed emerald is described as fairly common within that range. Despite some concern regarding local habitat loss this species is not considered threatened at present.