Coppery emerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coppery emerald |
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| Coppery emerald (bottom) with narrow-tailed emerald (top) | |
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Chlorostilbon
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| Species: |
russatus
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The coppery emerald (Chlorostilbon russatus) is a small, shimmering hummingbird. It gets its name from its beautiful coppery-green feathers. This amazing bird lives in parts of Colombia and Venezuela. It's part of a group of hummingbirds often called "emeralds."
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Meet the Coppery Emerald
The coppery emerald is a tiny bird. Males are about 8 to 8.5 centimeters (around 3 inches) long. Females are a bit smaller, at 7 to 7.5 centimeters. These hummingbirds weigh only about 3 to 4 grams, which is less than a U.S. penny! Both male and female coppery emeralds have a short, straight, black beak.
What They Look Like
- Male Coppery Emeralds: Their heads and backs are a shiny golden-green. The feathers covering their upper tail are coppery-green. Their slightly forked tail is a golden-coppery color. Their undersides sparkle with golden-green feathers.
- Female Coppery Emeralds: Their heads, backs, sides, and upper tail feathers are coppery-green. Their bellies are a smoky gray color. Their tail is also slightly forked. The tail feathers are greenish-coppery, and the outer four pairs have a coppery-purple band near the end with pale tips.
- Young Coppery Emeralds: Young birds look a lot like adult females. They have soft, buff-colored edges on the feathers of their heads.
Where They Live
The coppery emerald lives in specific areas of Colombia and Venezuela. In Colombia, you can find them in the lower Magdalena River valley and the Santa Marta region. This includes the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. They also live in the Serranía del Perijá mountain range, which is on the border between northern Colombia and western Venezuela.
These hummingbirds prefer semi-open and open places. They like scrublands, the edges of forests, and even areas where people grow crops. They can be found from sea level up to about 2,600 meters (about 8,500 feet) high. However, they are usually seen between 500 and 1,700 meters (about 1,600 to 5,600 feet) above the ground.
Coppery Emerald Behavior
Staying in One Place
The coppery emerald usually stays in the same area. It doesn't travel long distances. Sometimes, it might move to different heights depending on the season.
What They Eat
Coppery emeralds mostly eat nectar from flowers. They are very clever hunters! They use a method called "trap-lining." This means they visit a regular path of different flowering plants. They especially like plants from the pea family (Leguminaceae), coffee family (Rubiaceae), banana family (Heliconiaceae), and African violet family (Gesneriaceae). They usually feed on flowers that are 4 to 12 meters (about 13 to 40 feet) above the ground.
Besides nectar, they also eat small insects. They catch insects by "hawking," which means they fly out from a perch to snatch insects in the air. Sometimes, they also pick insects off plants.
How They Raise Their Young
Coppery emeralds usually breed in May and June. The female builds a small, cup-shaped nest. She lines it with soft, downy plant material. The nest is often placed on a sloped branch, about 0.8 meters (about 2.6 feet) off the ground.
The female lays two eggs. She sits on the eggs to keep them warm for about 15 to 16 days. After the chicks hatch, they stay in the nest for about 20 days before they are ready to fly.
Their Calls
When a coppery emerald is feeding, it often makes a short, repeated sound. It sounds like "tsik" or "trk."
Status of the Coppery Emerald
The coppery emerald is currently listed as a species of "Least Concern" by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). This means that, for now, they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
However, these birds live in a limited area. We don't know exactly how many coppery emeralds there are, or if their numbers are growing or shrinking. There are no immediate threats that scientists have found for them. They are found in patches, meaning they are uncommon in some places and more common in others. It's good news that they can easily use areas changed by humans, like plantations and parks.
Images for kids
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Coppery emerald (bottom) with narrow-tailed emerald (top)
