Azure-crowned Hummingbird

Guatemala

Jul 17

Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanocephala)

Name Origin:
The genus name Saucerottia honors Antoine Claudius Saucerotte, an 18th-century French physician and naturalist who studied hummingbirds. The species name cyanocephala comes from the Greek kyanos (“blue”) and kephalē (“head”), meaning “blue-headed,” a reference to the male’s distinctive azure crown.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 9–10.5 cm (3.5–4.1 in)
⚖️ Weight: 4–5 g (0.14–0.18 oz)
🌎 Range: Eastern and southern Mexico through Honduras and northern Nicaragua
🧭 Elevation: 800–2,400 m (2,625–7,875 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid and semi-humid montane forest, forest edges, and coffee plantations
🧬 Clade: Trochilini — “Emeralds” (mid-elevation hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Subspecies & Distribution

2 subspecies:

S. c. cyanocephala (Azure-crowned)
Distribution: Eastern and southern Mexico (south from southern Tamaulipas) through eastern Honduras and north-central Nicaragua.

S. c. chlorostephana (Mosquitia)
Distribution: Mosquito Coast region of eastern Honduras and northeastern Nicaragua.

Species Overview

The Azure-crowned Hummingbird is a striking mid-elevation species distinguished by its shimmering blue crown and emerald-green body. Found from the mountains of eastern Mexico to northern Nicaragua, it frequents forest edges, clearings, and shaded coffee plantations where it moves swiftly among flowering trees and shrubs.

Male Description:
The male features brilliant green upperparts, a glittering azure-blue crown, and grayish underparts with a faint green sheen on the flanks. The tail is bronze-green with dark undertones, and the bill is straight and black. When caught in sunlight, the blue crown contrasts vividly against the surrounding forest greenery.

Female Description:
The female resembles the male but is generally duller, with a less intense blue crown and paler underparts. Her flanks may show a light buff wash, and her tail is slightly more rounded. She shares the same flight style—direct, agile, and often accompanied by a faint whirring sound from the wings.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species prefers humid oak-pine and cloud forests, as well as adjacent clearings and coffee farms between 800 and 2,400 meters. It feeds primarily on nectar but also catches small insects mid-air or from foliage. Males often perch conspicuously on exposed branches within their territories and chase intruders with rapid, buzzing pursuits.

Conservation Note:
Currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Azure-crowned Hummingbird remains locally common across its range. However, deforestation and conversion of montane forest to agriculture threaten its preferred habitats. The promotion of shade-grown coffee and the preservation of mid-elevation forest corridors are vital for sustaining this brilliantly colored mountain species.

**Below is the Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanocephala cyanocephala)**

Photographed in Guatemala

This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies cyanocephala, which occurs from southern Mexico through Guatemala, El Salvador, and western Honduras. It inhabits pine-oak woodland, forest edge, and semi-open highland areas, typically between 1,000 and 2,500 meters elevation.