Canivet's Emerald
Common name: Canivet's Emerald
Scientific name: Cynanthus canivetii
Clades: Trochilini - Emeralds
The Canivet's Emerald is a small, dazzling hummingbird found in the tropical lowlands, where it thrives at the forest edge and in semi-open areas, often favoring relatively dry habitats. Unlike most hummingbirds, both sexes of Canivet's Emerald habitually pump their forked tails while hovering, making them unique and fascinating to observe. They typically feed at lower levels and are often inconspicuous, blending into their surroundings.
Adult Male: The male Canivet's Emerald is a striking sight with solidly emerald-green plumage. His crown shines a bright golden green or golden, transitioning to a slightly less brilliant golden green on the rest of the upperparts. His tail is forked, with blue-black or black feathers that are glossed with blue and tipped with deep brownish gray. The wings are a dark brownish slate or dusky color, faintly glossed with a violaceous hue. The underparts gleam with brilliant golden green, complemented by crisp white tibial tufts.
Adult Female: The female is equally captivating, with bright metallic green or bronze-green upperparts, usually duller on the crown. Her central tail feathers are metallic green to bluish green, while the outer feathers feature a combination of metallic green or bluish green, black subterminal bands, and white tips. The outermost tail feathers have broader white or brownish-gray tips, adding to her distinctive look. The wings are dusky with a faint purplish gloss. Her face features a dusky suborbital and auricular area, bordered by a grayish-white postocular streak. Her underparts are light gray, paler on the belly and vent, with flanks that shimmer with metallic green or bronze green.
One of the Canivet's Emerald's identifying features is its dry chattering call, reminiscent of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. This unique vocalization, combined with its tail-wagging behavior and vivid plumage, makes the Canivet's Emerald a delightful bird to spot for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike.
3 subspecies:
C. c. canivetii (Canivet's)
Distribution SE Mexico (S Tamaulipas to Yucatán), Belize, N Guatemala, and Bay Is (Honduras).C. c. salvini/osberti (Salvin's)
C. c. osberti
Distribution SE Mexico (extreme SE Chiapas), W and C Guatemala and El Salvador to Honduras and W Nicaragua.
C. c. salvini
Distribution NW Costa Rica (highlands of Pacific coast).