Chrysuronia grayi
The Blue-headed Sapphire (*Chrysuronia grayi*) is a striking member of the hummingbird family, Trochilidae, characterized by the male's dazzling iridescent blue head, throat, and upper breast. This brilliant blue contrasts sharply with its metallic grass-green body and back, and distinctive coppery-bronze, often slightly notched, tail. Measuring approximately 8.5-9.5 cm (3.3-3.7 inches) in length and weighing around 3.5-4.5 grams (0.12-0.16 oz), it possesses a bicolored bill - reddish at the ...
This species primarily inhabits humid tropical and subtropical forests, forest edges, clearings, and secondary growth, often found in coffee plantations. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from 200 to 1600 meters (650-5250 feet), though most commonly between 300 and 1500 meters.
Their primary diet consists of nectar, drawn from a variety of flowering plants, particularly those with tubular corollas. Small arthropods, such as gnats, flies, and spiders, are also a crucial protein source, caught in flight.
Blue-headed Sapphires are diurnal and highly active, particularly during early mornings and late afternoons, spending their time foraging and defending territories. Males are intensely territorial, often defending prime patches of nectar-rich flowers from other hummingbirds through aggressive aer...
The Blue-headed Sapphire is endemic to the humid slopes and foothills of the Andes in western South America, primarily found as a resident species with no significant migratory movements. Its distribution spans across western Colombia, Ecuador, and extends into the extreme northern reaches of Per...
Least Concern
- The Blue-headed Sapphire's iridescent blue head is a result of structural coloration, not pigments, meaning the color changes with the angle of light. - Like other hummingbirds, it has an incredibly high metabolism, requiring constant feeding to fuel its rapid wingbeats. - Its heart rate can ex...