Plain-bellied emerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plain-bellied emerald |
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Chrysuronia
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leucogaster
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The plain-bellied emerald is a type of hummingbird known for its bright colors and white belly. Its scientific name is Chrysuronia leucogaster. You can find this small bird in countries like Brazil, the Guianas (which include Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), and Venezuela.
Contents
About the Plain-Bellied Emerald
How It Got Its Name
This hummingbird was first officially described in 1788 by a German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin. He gave it the scientific name Trochilus leucogaster. Other French scientists had also described it earlier.
For a while, this bird was placed in different scientific groups. But after new studies, most scientists now agree it belongs to the group Chrysuronia. The name Chrysuronia comes from two older names for a different bird. The second part of its scientific name, leucogaster, comes from ancient Greek words. Leukos means "white" and gastēr means "belly". This perfectly describes its white belly!
Different Types of Plain-Bellied Emeralds
Scientists recognize two main types, or subspecies, of the plain-bellied emerald:
- C. l. leucogaster (Gmelin, 1788)
- C. l. bahiae (Hartert, 1899)
Some experts wonder if bahiae is truly a separate subspecies.
What It Looks Like
The plain-bellied emerald is a small bird, about 9 to 10 centimeters (3.5 to 4 inches) long. Males weigh around 4 to 4.5 grams, and females are about 4.3 grams. That's lighter than a few paper clips!
Adult birds have a short, dark bill that is slightly curved. The bottom part of the bill is red.
- Males have a shiny green crown (top of the head) and neck sides. Their back and throat sides are golden-green. The center of their throat and belly are white. Their inner tail feathers are bronze-green, and the outer ones are bluish-black.
- Females look similar to males. They might have greenish spots on their throat sides and grayish-green tips on their tail feathers.
- Young birds look like adult females but have brownish edges on their back feathers.
The C. l. bahiae subspecies looks very much like the main type but is a bit less bronzy.
Where It Lives
The two types of plain-bellied emeralds live in different coastal areas.
- The leucogaster type is found from northeastern Venezuela through Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. It also lives in northeastern Brazil, reaching the Piauí state.
- The bahiae type lives in eastern Brazil. You can find it from Pernambuco south through Alagoas, Sergipe, and Bahia, slightly into Espírito Santo.
These birds like many different open or partly open places. This includes mangrove forests, the edges of thick forests, and areas where forests are growing back. They also live in areas like cerrado (a type of savanna) and caatinga (a dry forest). You might even spot them in places made by people, such as farms, parks, and gardens. They usually live near sea level, but in Venezuela, they can be found up to 250 meters (820 feet) high.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Movement
The plain-bellied emerald usually stays in one area. However, some birds have been seen moving to nearby places.
Feeding Habits
This hummingbird drinks nectar from many different types of flowers, shrubs, and trees. They are known to visit plants from at least eleven different plant families! They often stay close to the ground while feeding. They also protect their favorite feeding spots from other birds. Besides nectar, they also eat insects. They catch insects by flying out from a perch, a behavior called hawking.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The plain-bellied emerald's breeding season happens at different times depending on where they live. In the Guianas, it's usually in July and August. In northeastern Brazil, it's from October to February.
The female builds a cup-shaped nest. She uses soft plant material and leaves, often decorating the outside with lichen. She usually places the nest on a horizontal branch or in a tree fork. The nest is typically within 5 meters (16 feet) of the ground. The female lays two eggs and keeps them warm for about 14 days. The young birds leave the nest about 20 to 25 days after hatching.
Vocalization
The plain-bellied emerald's song is thought to be a long series of repeated "pseeee" notes. It also makes other sounds, like a thin "tsink" and a fast, high-pitched stuttering sound.
Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the plain-bellied emerald as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently at high risk of disappearing. We don't know exactly how many of these birds there are or if their numbers are changing. No immediate threats to their survival have been found. It is quite common in the northern parts of its range but is less known in eastern Brazil.
