Coppery-headed Emerald

Microchera cupreiceps

Hummingbirds · Apodiformes · Uncommon

The Coppery-headed Emerald (Microchera cupreiceps) is a uncommon hummingbird found only in Costa Rica. The coppery-headed emerald is a small hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae.

Least ConcernUncommonEndemic

About the Coppery-headed Emerald

The coppery-headed emerald is a small hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The coppery-headed emerald is about 7.5 cm (3.0 in) long and weighs about 3.0 to 3.3 g (0.11 to 0.12 oz). Both sexes have a moderately decurved bill whose mandible has a pinkish base. The adult male has a dull coppery bronze crown, a bronze green nape, back, and rump, and bright coppery bronze uppertail coverts. Its central pair of tail feathers are bronze, the next three pairs white with pale gray tips, and the outermost pair white with black tips. Its underparts are bright yellowish metallic green with white undertail coverts. Voice: The coppery-headed emerald's song is a "high, thin, twittering and warbling." Its call has been described as "a high, thin, liquid quip or quit or rapid high sputtering in chases."

Where it lives

When to see it

The Coppery-headed Emerald can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Coppery-headed Emerald?
The coppery-headed emerald is about 7.5 cm (3.0 in) long and weighs about 3.0 to 3.3 g (0.11 to 0.12 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
Where can you see a Coppery-headed Emerald?
The Coppery-headed Emerald is endemic to Costa Rica, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Coppery-headed Emerald?
The Coppery-headed Emerald is most easily confused with the Snowcap and the White-tailed Emerald.
Is the Coppery-headed Emerald endangered?
The Coppery-headed Emerald is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Coppery-headed Emerald for real

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