Bird Guide

Cuban Emerald vs Puerto Rican Emerald

Cuban Emerald (Riccordia ricordii)

Cuban Emerald

Riccordia ricordii

3 gForest

Male Cuban emeralds are 10.5 to 11.5 cm (4.1 to 4.5 in) long and females 9.5 to 10.5 cm (3.7 to 4.1 in). The species weighs between 2.5 and 5 g (0.088 and 0.18 oz). Males have a short, slightly decurved, black-tipped bill whose mandible is dull black and the maxilla red. It has a small whitish spot behind the eye. Its upperparts are dark shining green with a bronze tinge; the crown is darker and duller. Its underparts are mostly iridescent metallic green with white undertail coverts. The tail is deeply forked. Voice: The male Cuban emerald's high-pitched song is "a rapid rolling series of 'slee' notes and sputtering metallic sounds". Females give a "high-pitched 'seeeee' flight call". They also make "a buzzy 'zzzir'" and "chi-di-dit" calls.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Josefito123 · CC0
Puerto Rican Emerald (Riccordia maugaeus)

Puerto Rican Emerald

Riccordia maugaeus

3 gForest

Male Puerto Rican emeralds are 8.5 to 9.5 cm (3.3 to 3.7 in) long and females 7.5 to 8.5 cm (3.0 to 3.3 in). The species weighs between 3.4 and 3.8 g (0.12 and 0.13 oz). Both sexes have a small white spot behind the eye. Males have a short straight bill with black-tipped red mandible and a black maxilla. Its forehead and crown are iridescent green; the rest of its upperparts are dark shining metallic green. Its gorget is iridescent bluish green and the rest of its underparts are shining green. The tail is forked and shining steely blue. The female's bill is all black. Voice: What is believed to be the Puerto Rican emerald's song is "a repeated twittering phrase of high-pitched descending notes followed by a series of ‘lisping’ notes on constant pitch 'tseereetseetseetsee-tslew-tslew-tslew-tslew-tslew'". It also makes "high-pitched 'tsik'" and "si..si..sik-sik...tsik.." calls.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: DiegoH · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cuban Emerald and Puerto Rican Emerald.