Blue-headed Sapphire
Blue-headed Sapphire (Chlorestes cyanus)
Name Origin:
The genus name Chlorestes derives from the Greek chloros meaning “green” and -estes meaning “one who is” or “bearer of,” reflecting the rich green hues characteristic of this group. The species name cyanus comes from the Greek kyanos, meaning “dark blue,” describing the brilliant blue head and throat of the male.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 8.5–9.5 cm (3.3–3.7 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3.5–4.5 g (0.12–0.16 oz)
🌎 Range: Northern and central South America, from Venezuela and the Guianas through Amazonian Brazil to eastern Peru and northern Bolivia
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 1,000 m (3,280 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland forest, forest edges, clearings, and gardens
🧬 Clade: Trochilini "Emeralds" (lowland hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic species with no recognized subspecies.
Distribution: Widely distributed across northern South America, from southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and eastern Colombia south through Amazonian Brazil, eastern Ecuador, northern Peru, and northern Bolivia. Occupies humid lowland forests, river edges, and secondary growth, and is frequently observed in gardens and clearings with abundant flowering shrubs.
Species Overview
The Blue-headed Sapphire is one of the most dazzling members of the Chlorestes genus. Found throughout the Amazon and Guiana Shield regions, it is a common sight along forest edges and riverine clearings, where males flash their sapphire-blue crowns in sunlight. Its calm, elegant flight and adaptability make it a characteristic species of tropical lowland habitats.
Male Description:
The male has metallic emerald-green upperparts, a brilliant blue head and throat, and grayish-white underparts with green flanks. The tail is metallic blue-green and slightly forked, and the bill is black with a reddish base on the lower mandible. The blue of the crown and throat gleams vividly under direct light, distinguishing it from all other regional hummingbirds.
Female Description:
The female lacks the full blue crown and throat, appearing mostly green above and grayish-white below with faint green flecks on the sides. The tail is bluish-green with narrow white tips, and the bill pattern mirrors that of the male. She forages more quietly and often lower in the understory.
Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits humid and semi-humid lowland forests, forest borders, and secondary woodland, often near rivers or clearings. It feeds primarily on nectar from Heliconia, Inga, and Psychotria flowers and supplements its diet with small insects. The Blue-headed Sapphire is moderately territorial but often coexists with other hummingbirds at flowering trees. Its flight is smooth and direct, interspersed with short hovering bouts while feeding.
Conservation Note:
The Blue-headed Sapphire is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains widespread and common across its range. Its tolerance for secondary growth and forest edges helps it persist despite habitat loss in the Amazon Basin. Conservation of riverine forest corridors and lowland flowering vegetation supports both this species and the broader Trochilini guild.
