Puerto Rican emerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puerto Rican emerald |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Riccordia
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| Species: |
maugaeus
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The Puerto Rican emerald (Riccordia maugeaus), also known as the zumbadorcito de Puerto Rico in Spanish, is a tiny, sparkling hummingbird. This special bird lives only in the archipelago of Puerto Rico. You won't find it anywhere else in the world!
Contents
Appearance
Puerto Rican emeralds are small birds. They are about 9 to 10 cm long. They weigh around 3 grams, which is about the same as two paper clips!
Male and female Puerto Rican emeralds look different. This is called sexual dimorphism.
- The male has shiny, green feathers all over its body. Its tail is black.
- The female has a white chest. Her outer tail feathers are also white.
Where They Live
These hummingbirds mostly live in the mountains of Puerto Rico. But you can also find them along the southwest coast of the main island. They are very protective of their space. They will often chase away other birds that come too close.
Diet and Feeding
Puerto Rican emeralds have long, pointy beaks. They also have long, tube-shaped tongues. They use these to sip nectar from flowers. They especially love red flowers! They also eat tiny insects and spiders. They use their long beaks to find these small creatures.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Puerto Rican emeralds can have babies all year long. However, they mostly breed from February to May. This is just before the rainy season starts.
The female builds a small, cup-shaped nest. She uses grasses and twigs to make it. She lays two tiny white eggs. Each egg is about 8 to 13 millimeters long. The male hummingbird does not help with the nesting or raising the babies.
Scientific Classification
Scientists used to place the Puerto Rican emerald in a different group of hummingbirds. This group was called Chlorostilbon. But in 2014, new studies looked closely at their genes. These studies showed that the Puerto Rican emerald actually belongs in a different group. So, it was moved to the Riccordia group.
