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The blue-tailed emerald is a hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in tropical and subtropical South America east of the Andes from Colombia east to the Guianas and Trinidad, and south to northern Bolivia and central Brazil.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Male blue-tailed emeralds are 7.5 to 9.5 cm (3.0 to 3.7 in) long and females 6.5 to 7.5 cm (2.6 to 3.0 in). Males of C. m. caribaeus average about 2.7 g (0.095 oz) and females about 2.5 g (0.088 oz). Males of C. m. phoeopygus average about 2.7 g (0.095 oz) and females about 2.4 g (0.085 oz). Both sexes of all subspecies have a short, straight, black bill. All of the males have a forked tail whose depth varies somewhat among the subspecies. Females are essentially indistinguisable from each other. Voice: The blue-tailed emerald's song has been described as "repeated 'tsip' or chwep notes, with occasional rolls or twitters". Its calls include "a relatively loud and harsh chirrrt and "soft 'tsip', 'pit' and 'chwep'" notes.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in May · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Garden EmeraldChlorostilbon assimilisThe garden emerald is 7.8 to 8.5 cm (3.1 to 3.3 in) long and weighs about 3 to 4.1 g (0.11 to 0.14 oz).
Western EmeraldChlorostilbon melanorhynchusThe western emerald is 10.9 to 11.4 cm (4.3 to 4.5 in) long and weighs about 2.6 g (0.092 oz).
Red-billed EmeraldChlorostilbon gibsoniThe red-billed emerald is 7.6 to 9 cm (3.0 to 3.5 in) long and weighs about 2.8 g (0.099 oz).
Learn the Blue-tailed Emerald for real
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