Coppery-headed Emerald

Coppery-headed Emerald (Microchera cupreiceps)

Name Origin:
The genus name Microchera derives from Greek mikros (“small”) and chēr (“hand” or “arm”), referring to its tiny size and delicate build. The species name cupreiceps combines Latin cupreus (“copper-colored”) and -ceps (“headed”), describing its vivid coppery crown.

Quick Facts

• 🪶 Length: 7.5–8 cm (3–3.1 in)

• ⚖️ Weight: 2.5–3 g (0.09–0.11 oz)

• 🌎 Range: Endemic to Costa Rica

• 🧭 Elevation: 800–1,850 m (2,600–6,070 ft)

• 🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects

• 🏡 Habitat: Cloud forest, forest edge, and shaded gardens

• 🧬 Clade: Trochilini “Emeralds” (mountain forest hummingbirds)

• 📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic species — no recognized subspecies.

Distribution: Endemic to Costa Rica’s northern and central highlands, primarily on the Caribbean slope from Volcán Poás and Cordillera de Tilarán north to Cordillera de Guanacaste, and locally on the Pacific slope of Cordillera de Talamanca. Prefers humid montane and premontane forest and adjacent clearings with abundant flowering shrubs such as Besleria, Palicourea, and Inga.

Species Overview

The Coppery-headed Emerald is one of only a handful of hummingbirds endemic to Costa Rica. Its brilliant green body, gleaming copper crown and rump, and compact form make it unmistakable. Males often perch in open sunlight, flashing metallic hues from head to tail. Despite its restricted range, it remains locally common where habitat is intact.

Male Description:
The male has metallic emerald-green upperparts, a bright coppery crown, nape, and rump, and brilliant green underparts. The tail is dark bronze with faint green reflections, and the bill is short and black. In bright light, the crown and rump glow with intense copper-gold tones.

Female Description:
The female is green above, with whitish-gray underparts lightly washed with green on the sides. Her crown and rump are duller, and her tail shows narrow white tips on the outer feathers.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits humid and wet montane forests, often along edges, clearings, and plantations at 800–1,850 meters. It feeds on nectar from small tubular flowers, often visiting Hamelia, Inga, and Besleria. The Coppery-headed Emerald is territorial, agile, and frequently seen defending favorite feeding shrubs or feeders. Its high-pitched tsee calls and rapid darting flight are characteristic of cloud forest understories.

Conservation Note:
The Coppery-headed Emerald is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but is endemic to Costa Rica, making it of high national conservation importance. It remains locally common in protected regions such as Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Braulio Carrillo National Park, and Juan Castro Blanco National Park. Main threats include deforestation and habitat fragmentation, particularly outside reserves. Ongoing forest protection and restoration in Costa Rica’s central and northern highlands ensure the survival of this glittering Trochilini jewel.

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