Chlorostilbon alice
The Green-tailed Emerald (*Chlorostilbon alice*) is a diminutive and dazzling hummingbird, averaging 7.5 to 8 cm in length and weighing a mere 3-4 grams. Males are a symphony of iridescent greens, with a distinctive coppery-green rump and an emerald green, deeply forked tail that sets them apart, often shimmering with coppery highlights in sunlight. A subtle white post-ocular stripe adds to their elegant profile, complementing their straight, slender black bill. Females, while also green, pre...
This species favors humid montane forest edges, secondary growth, coffee plantations, and gardens, typically found at elevations between 500 and 1,200 meters.
Primarily nectivorous, feeding on a variety of small, tubular flowers, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage or hawked in flight.
Green-tailed Emeralds are primarily diurnal, active from dawn to dusk, often retreating to dense foliage for roosting. Their foraging strategy involves both traplining, visiting a circuit of flowering plants, and opportunistic darting for small insects in mid-air. Males are fiercely territorial, ...
The Green-tailed Emerald is an endemic resident of northeastern Venezuela and the island of Trinidad. Its primary distribution within Venezuela spans the states of Sucre, Anzoátegui, Monagas, Miranda, and the northern parts of Bolívar. On Trinidad, it is found throughout the island. This species ...
Least Concern
- The Green-tailed Emerald's iridescent colors are not due to pigments, but microscopic feather structures that refract light, creating a shimmering effect. - Despite their tiny size, their hearts can beat over 1,200 times per minute during intense activity. - They consume roughly twice their bod...