Glittering-bellied emerald

Chlorostilbon lucidus

Photo by Marcos André (Wikipedia)

Common name:

glittering-bellied emerald (en); besourinho-de-bico-vermelho (pt); émeraude splendide (fr); esmeralda ventridorada (es); goldbauch-smaragdkolibri (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Apodiformes

Family Trochilidae

Range:

This South American species is found in north-eastern Argentina, eastern and central Bolivia, eastern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Size:

These hummingbirds are 8,5 cm long and weigh 3,5 g.

Habitat:

Glittering-bellied emeralds are often found in the edges of sub-tropical moist forests, but also in a wide range of semi-open habitats, including gardens and parks.

Diet:

They mostly eat the nectar of various flowers, but may occasionally hunt spiders and insects.

Breeding:

The glittering-bellied emerald nests in August-April. They build a cup-shaped nest using lichens, leaves and twigs, placed in the branches of a tree or scrub, in an aerial root or sometimes on the leaves of coffee saplings. There the female lays 2 white eggs which she incubates alone for 14-18 days. The chicks are fed by the female and fledge 20-24 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and his described has common in much of its range. This species is not considered threatened at present.