Coppery-Headed Emerald | endemiccostarica

Coppery-Headed Emerald - Elvira cupreiceps

The Coppery-Headed Emerald retains a distinct and dazzling appearance. This species of hummingbird has a decurved bill, white outer tail feathers that turn black near the tip. The crown, upper tail, and central tail feathers of the male are copper, while the females are more lightly colored, with a white underside, and light green spots around their backs.
- Their decurved bill seperates them from hummingbirds simular to the Coppery-Headed Emerald.

Female Male

Coppery Headed Emerald

The Coppery-Headed Emeralds roam at the middle elevation of the Caribbean Slope, south to the Reventazon River, and they are also commonly spotted on the Pacific slope of Cordillera de Guanacaste and Tilarán. They are commonly spotted near Monteverde as well.

Like most other hummingbirds, the Coppery-Headed Emerald recieves most of their nutrition from nectar and small insects.
- Since their bill is short, they tend to forage in small flowers .

Cordillera de Guancaste

While the males normally spend most of their daily lives in a cannopy, the females tend to remain in the understory. Both the males and the females forge at the hight of small flowers to feed
During the breeding season, the males sing together and chase after each other at their lek sites.
Many males and females tend to descend to lower elevations, 900 feet to 1500 feet, after breeding season.
- The Coppery-Headed Emerald is normally seen around the elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet.
Little is known about their breeding habits.

A Coppery-Headed Emerald Eating Nectar