Blue-chinned Sapphire
Blue-chinned Sapphire (Chlorestes notata)
Name Origin:
The genus name Chlorestes is derived from the Greek chloros meaning “green” and -estes meaning “one who is” or “bearer of,” referring to the green hues typical of this group. The species name notata comes from the Latin notatus meaning “marked” or “noted,” likely referencing the bird’s blue-throated marking.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 8.5–9 cm (3.3–3.5 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3.8–4 g (0.13–0.14 oz)
🌎 Range: Northern South America, from Colombia and Venezuela through the Guianas and Amazon Basin to eastern Brazil
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 1,200 m (3,940 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland forest, forest edges, second growth, and gardens
🧬 Clade: Trochilini "Emeralds" (lowland and mid-elevation hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
Subspecies & Distribution
1. C. n. notata
Distribution: Northeastern Colombia through northern and eastern Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Guianas to eastern Brazil (Pará to Bahia, and uncommonly south to Rio de Janeiro).
2. C. n. puruensis
Distribution: Northwestern Brazil (north of the Amazon, east to the mouths of the Trombetas and Negro rivers) to southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and northeastern Peru (upper Ucayali River).
3. C. n. obsoleta
Distribution: Northeastern Peru along the lower Ucayali River near the mouth of the Napo River, and west probably to the mouth of the Huallaga River.
Species Overview
The Blue-chinned Sapphire is a radiant lowland hummingbird of northern South America, noted for its gleaming blue throat and emerald-green plumage. Common along forest edges, riverbanks, and gardens, it is both adaptable and striking, adding flashes of metallic color to tropical lowland ecosystems.
Male Description:
The male has brilliant metallic green upperparts, a shimmering blue throat patch (the “chin”), and white thighs. The underparts are grayish-white with green iridescence along the sides. The tail is metallic blue and slightly forked, and the bill is black with a reddish base to the lower mandible. When seen in bright light, the blue of the throat glows vividly against the green body.
Female Description:
The female lacks the deep blue throat, instead showing pale gray underparts lightly spotted with green, green upperparts, and a shorter, less forked blue tail tipped in white. Her plumage is more subdued but still displays soft iridescence when caught by the sun.
Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits lowland humid forests, forest borders, riverine woodland, and secondary growth, and is frequently seen visiting flowering gardens. It feeds on nectar from Heliconia, Psychotria, and Inga flowers, as well as small insects caught in midair. Males defend small feeding territories with short chases and vocal buzzing calls. Its flight is fast and direct, with quick hovering pauses at each flower.
Conservation Note:
The Blue-chinned Sapphire is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains common across much of its broad range. While it adapts well to secondary and semi-open habitats, deforestation in the Amazon Basin and Guianas may reduce local populations. Conservation of riverine forest corridors and flower-rich edges supports this shimmering member of the Trochilini clade.
Below is the Blue-chinned Sapphire (Chlorestes notata notata)
Photographed at Yerette – Home of the Hummingbird, Tunapuna-Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago
This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies notata, which occurs in northern South America, including Trinidad and Tobago, coastal Venezuela, the Guianas, and northeastern Brazil. It inhabits lowland forest, gardens, and secondary growth where flowering trees and shrubs are abundant.
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