White-chested emerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-chested emerald |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Chrysuronia |
| Species: |
C. brevirostris
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| Binomial name | |
| Chrysuronia brevirostris (Lesson, R, 1829)
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| White-chested emerald range | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Amazilia chionopectus, Agyrtria brevirostris, Amazilia brevirostris |
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The white-chested emerald (scientific name: Chrysuronia brevirostris) is a beautiful hummingbird. It belongs to a group of hummingbirds called "emeralds." You can find this tiny bird in countries like Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad, and Venezuela.
Contents
About the White-Chested Emerald
What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the white-chested emerald has changed a few times. Scientists study birds' DNA to understand how they are related. Because of this, the white-chested emerald was moved into a new group called Chrysuronia. However, some bird experts still use its old name, Amazilia.
Meet the Subspecies
There are three types, or subspecies, of the white-chested emerald:
- C. b. brevirostris (the most common type)
- C. b. chionopectus
- C. b. orienticola
Appearance and Size
The white-chested emerald is a small bird, about 9 to 10 centimeters (3.5 to 4 inches) long. Males weigh around 4.6 grams (0.16 ounces), and females are slightly lighter at 4.4 grams (0.15 ounces). That's about the weight of two pennies!
Both male and female white-chested emeralds look very similar. They have a short, straight, black beak. Their heads and cheeks are a shiny turquoise-green. Their backs are a bright bronze-green, which turns a coppery color near their tail.
Their central tail feathers are coppery, while the outer ones are bronze or coppery with dark bars underneath. The most noticeable feature is their white chest and belly. Their sides are bronze-green, and the feathers under their tail are golden-green with white edges. Young birds look like adult females but have a yellowish or reddish color at the base of their beak.
Differences in Subspecies
- C. b. chionopectus is bigger than the other two types but looks the same.
- C. b. orienticola is similar to the common type but has darker, more bronze-colored upper parts and sides.
Where They Live
The most common type, C. b. brevirostris, lives in eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and northern Brazil. The C. b. chionopectus subspecies is only found on the island of Trinidad. The C. b. orienticola subspecies is very rare and has only been seen along the coast of French Guiana.
These hummingbirds live in many different places, including:
- Rainforests
- Forests that lose some leaves
- Forests along rivers
- Forests that have grown back after being cut down
- Bushy areas
- Grasslands (savanna)
- Some farms
The C. b. chionopectus subspecies prefers more open areas, even living in cocoa farms!
Daily Life and Habits
Movement
Most white-chested emeralds probably stay in the same area their whole lives. However, scientists don't have a lot of information about their movements.
What They Eat
White-chested emeralds love to drink nectar from many different kinds of flowers and trees. They also eat insects. They catch insects by flying out from a perch (like a branch) or by picking them off plants.
Reproduction and Nests
The breeding season for these hummingbirds lasts from at least December to April. The female builds a cup-shaped nest using plant fibers. She decorates the outside with lichen, which helps camouflage it. The nest is usually placed on a horizontal branch, about 1 to 7 meters (3 to 23 feet) above the ground.
The female lays two eggs and takes care of them. We don't know exactly how long the eggs take to hatch, but the young birds leave the nest about 20 days after hatching.
Their Song
The white-chested emerald's song changes a lot, but it always sounds "nasal and squeaky." Some people describe their calls as:
- "tsri-lee … tsri-lee ... tsri-lee"
- "tee-tink-tink-tink .. tsee-tink ... tee-tink-tink-tink … tsee-tink ..."
- "teee-tjitjitjitjitji ..... teee-tjitjitjitjitji..."
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the white-chested emerald is a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They live in a large area, but we don't know exactly how many there are or if their numbers are changing.
They are one of the most common hummingbirds on Trinidad. However, the populations on the mainland haven't been studied as much. The C. b. orienticola subspecies is very rare and not well known.
 | Misty Copeland |
 | Raven Wilkinson |
 | Debra Austin |
 | Aesha Ash |
