Cynanthus canivetii
The Canivet's Emerald (Cynanthus canivetii) is a dazzling, diminutive hummingbird, instantly recognizable by its brilliant iridescent green plumage. Males, measuring about 7.5-9 cm (3-3.5 inches) and weighing 2.5-3.5 grams, are entirely iridescent green on their head, back, throat, and breast, contrasting with a deeply forked, metallic purplish-black tail. A distinctive white post-ocular stripe behind the eye is a key field mark for both sexes, serving to highlight the small, straight black b...
This species thrives in tropical and subtropical dry forests, semi-open areas, thorn scrub, forest edges, clearings, and human-modified habitats like gardens and plantations, typically from sea level up to 1,800 meters elevation.
Primarily feeds on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants, but also actively gleans and hawks small insects and spiders in flight for essential protein.
Canivet's Emeralds are active diurnal birds, constantly foraging for nectar and insects. Males are intensely territorial, fiercely defending prime flowering patches from other hummingbirds and even larger birds through aggressive aerial chases. Courtship involves spectacular 'singing dives' where...
The Canivet's Emerald is predominantly a resident species found throughout much of Mexico and Central America. Its distribution spans from northeastern Mexico (Tamaulipas, Veracruz) down through the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northwestern Costa Ric...
Least Concern
- The Canivet's Emerald is named after Jean-Baptiste Louis Pierre Canivet, a French ornithologist, underscoring its scientific discovery and documentation. - Despite its small stature, it's known for its exceptionally aggressive territorial displays, often seen chasing much larger birds from its ...