Andean Emerald

Scientific name: *Uranomitra franciae*

The Andean Emerald is a medium-sized “emerald” hummingbird of the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, where it frequents forest edges, woodland, gardens, and scrub. It is green above and mostly white below, often appearing as a bright, clean-looking emerald along montane forest borders and in second-growth.

At a Glance

Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
Clade: Trochilini – Emeralds
Genus group: Uranomitra — Andean emerald
Range: Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, where it occurs at forest edge, woodland, gardens, and scrub, mainly on the western slope and in inter-Andean valleys.
Habitat: Secondary forest and the edges and clearings of wet primary forest; also drier shrublands and scrubby slopes in Peru, semi-humid habitats, gardens, and open woodland.
Elevation: Roughly 600–2,100 m (2,000–6,900 ft), most common above about 1,000 m; locally from around 400 up to about 2,750 m along the Marañón drainage.
Length: about 9–11 cm (3.5–4.3 in).
Weight: males about 5.6 g (0.20 oz), females about 5.3 g (0.19 oz).
Number of mature individuals: not quantified, but species considered fairly common in much of its range.
Population trend: Decreasing.
Status: Least Concern (IUCN).

Name Origin

The genus name Uranomitra combines Greek ouranos (“sky” or “heaven”) and mitra (“diadem” or “headband”), referring to a sky-colored crown or heavenly diadem, a nod to the bird’s iridescent crown and overall shining plumage. The species name franciae honors Francia Bourcier, the daughter of French diplomat and trochilid specialist Claude‑Marie Jules Bourcier, who described many hummingbirds in the 19th century. Together, Uranomitra franciae can be read as “Francia’s sky‑diadem hummingbird.”

Subspecies and Distribution

Three subspecies of Andean Emerald are generally recognized.

Uranomitra franciae franciae
Occurs in the Andes of northwestern and central Colombia, where it is a characteristic emerald of forest edges, secondary growth, and scrub.
Uranomitra franciae viridiceps
Found from southwestern Colombia (Nariño) south through western Ecuador to Loja Province and extreme northwestern Peru (Tumbes), where it is fairly common in scrub and semi-humid habitats along some Andean slopes and the Marañón drainage.
Uranomitra franciae cyanocollis
Inhabits the Andes of southeastern Ecuador (Zamora‑Chinchipe) and northern Peru’s Marañón River valley, south and east to La Libertad, using scrub, dry and semi‑humid slopes, and forest edges.

Across these subspecies, the Andean Emerald forms a mostly continuous band along Andean foothills and mid-elevations from Colombia south into northern Peru.

Species Overview

The Andean Emerald is the only species in the genus Uranomitra and one of the classic “green and white” emerald hummingbirds of the northern Andes. It is generally fairly common in suitable edge and second‑growth habitats, often attending flowering trees and shrubs along forest margins, ravines, and gardens. Birds can appear almost all green from above as they zip between flowers, flashing their clean white underparts when they turn or hover. Because it thrives around forest edges and human‑modified landscapes, it is a familiar hummingbird in many Andean foothill and mid‑elevation communities.

Identification

Male

Adult males of the nominate subspecies U. f. franciae have a glittering violet‑blue crown and glittering golden‑ to emerald‑green cheeks and neck. Their upperparts and flanks are light to golden‑green with a coppery tinge on the uppertail coverts, while the center of the underparts is white. The tail is bronze‑green to copperish, sometimes with a purplish tinge to the inner rectrices, and the bill is straight to slightly decurved, with a blackish upper mandible and coral‑red lower mandible tipped dark.

Subspecies viridiceps differs from the nominate in having a shorter tail and a green crown, and cyanocollis shows the blue of the crown extending back onto the nape. These subtle structural and color differences are useful for field identification within their respective ranges.

Female

Adult females are similar to males but have a less glittering crown that is turquoise‑blue to greenish rather than vivid violet‑blue. They share green upperparts and flanks with white underparts and a bronze‑green to copperish tail, though their overall coloration is slightly duller. Juveniles resemble adult females but show brownish feather edging on the upperparts and grayish‑brown flanks. In all plumages, the combination of bright green upperparts and clean white underparts helps separate Andean Emerald from other Andean hummingbirds with more patterned underparts.

Habitat and Behavior

Andean Emeralds are found along humid and wet forest borders, in secondary forest, woodland, scrub, and highland clearings, and in gardens with flowering plants. They typically occur between about 600 and 2,100 m, most often above 1,000 m, but can range from around 400 up to about 2,750 m in parts of Peru’s Marañón drainage. Like other hummingbirds, they feed primarily on nectar from a variety of flowers and also take small insects and spiders for protein, often joining mixed species feeding assemblages at flowering trees. Birds may move locally along Andean slopes with flowering seasons and habitat changes, but they are not known for long‑distance migrations.

Population and Threats

The Andean Emerald is assessed as Least Concern, but its overall population trend is considered Decreasing. The species remains fairly common in many forest‑edge and second‑growth habitats across Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, yet ongoing deforestation, fragmentation, and changes in Andean forest structure are likely causing slow declines by reducing the extent and quality of suitable habitat and floral resources. Because it favors edges and secondary growth, it tolerates some disturbance, but extensive clearing of montane forest mosaics can still have cumulative negative effects over time.

Conservation

Although currently Least Concern, the Andean Emerald depends on a landscape that includes forest edges, secondary growth, and remnant patches of moist montane forest. Protecting Andean forest mosaics, promoting regeneration of secondary forest, and maintaining diverse flowering shrubs and trees along forest margins and in rural gardens all help sustain this species. Conservation measures that limit deforestation and degradation in Andean foothills and mid‑elevations will benefit the Andean Emerald as well as many other nectar‑feeding birds.

Below is the Andean Emerald (Uranomitra franciae franciae)

Photographed at RN Retorno del Colibrí, Tolima, and Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco, Caldas, Colombia

These individuals belong to the nominate subspecies franciae, which occurs throughout the Colombian Andes from the Western to the Eastern cordillera. It inhabits humid foothill and montane forest edge, gardens, and semi-open clearings with abundant flowering shrubs.

The Andean Emerald is small and slender, with metallic green upperparts and a pale grayish underbelly. The throat and chest often flash a soft green sheen in males. It frequently visits Inga, Cecropia, and other flowering trees, showing quick darting movements between blossoms.

male

Below is the Andean Emerald (Uranomitra franciae verticeps)

Photographed at Refugio del Colibrí Espátula, Huembo Lodge, and Reserva Privada Santos Montenegro, Amazonas, Peru

These individuals belong to the subspecies rufigaster, which occurs in the northern Peruvian Andes and adjoining valleys. It is found in humid montane forest, garden clearings, and secondary growth with abundant flowering trees and shrubs.

This subspecies is similar in structure to the nominate form but often shows slightly deeper green tones and a faint buff or rufous wash on the underparts, especially in certain light. It is active and territorial, frequently returning to favored flowering stands.

No other related species in this genus.

Please note: The content provided in this article reflects Anthony’s personal experience and photographic approach. Results can vary depending on light, weather, location, equipment, subject behavior, and field conditions.