- Coppery-headed Emerald
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Coppery-headed Emerald 
Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Trochiliformes Family: Trochilidae Genus: Elvira Species: E. cupreiceps Binomial name Elvira cupreiceps
(Lawrence, 1867)The Coppery-headed Emerald (Elvira cupreiceps) is a type of hummingbird. It is endemic to Costa Rica.
The noticeably decurved bill sets it apart from similar White-tailed Emerald (no range overlap). Male has distinctive coppery crown and rump with a whole green belly and white vent. The female has a white belly and a narrow black subterminal band on white outer rectrices of the tail. It measures 8 centimeters (3 inches).
It is a Costa Rican endemic, fairly common at middle elevations on Caribbean Slope, south to Reventazon River; from 600 to 1,500 meters. Also it is fairly common on Pacific slope of Guanacaste and Tilaran Cordilleras; from 1,200 to 1,500 meters.
It feeds at all levels in mature wet montane forest and forest edges.
Males form small leks at middle levels of forest edges.
A perched male
References
- BirdLife International (2004). Elvira cupreiceps. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
The Birds of Costa Rica by Richard Garriguez and Robert Dean. Zona Tropical ISBN 10:0-9705678-5-5
External links
- Coppery-headed Emerald videos on the Internet Bird Collection
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