Crimson Topaz

Scientific name: *Topaza pella*

The Crimson Topaz is a large, spectacular hummingbird of lowland Amazonian rainforest, riverine gallery forest, and forest edges in northern South America. It is listed as Least Concern, with an unknown number of mature individuals, a decreasing population trend, and it is considered not a migrant.

At a Glance

Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
Clades: Florisuginae – Topazes
Genus group: Topaza — large, long‑tailed topazes (2 species in total: Crimson Topaz, Fiery Topaz)
Range: Northern Amazonia and the Guianan Shield, including eastern Venezuela, the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), and northern and central Amazonian Brazil, extending south of the Amazon along some major rivers and into northeastern Bolivia.
Habitat: Interior and edges of lowland rainforest, especially along blackwater and clear‑water rivers and streams, in gallery forest, riverine forest, and around forested river islands and granite outcrops.
Elevation: Mostly from near sea level up to about 500 m (1,600 ft).
Length: Males about 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) including bill and tail; females about 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in).
Weight: Males about 11–18 g (0.39–0.63 oz); females around 9–12.5 g (0.32–0.44 oz).
Number of mature individuals: Unknown.
Population trend: Decreasing.
Status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List category).
Migration: Not a migrant.

Name Origin
The genus name Topaza comes from “topaz,” the gemstone known for its bright, fiery colors, reflecting the intense red, gold, and green iridescence of these large hummingbirds. The species name pella is derived from a Latin form meaning “dark‑colored,” referencing the velvety dark tones in the head and throat of the male. The English name “Crimson Topaz” highlights the brilliant crimson and fiery hues that dominate the male’s plumage and link it to the topaz clade.

Taxonomy & Distribution
Crimson Topaz is one of two species in the genus Topaza (the other is Fiery Topaz) and belongs to the subfamily Florisuginae, the “topazes,” which also includes the jacobins in genus Florisuga. It is found across northern Amazonia and the Guianan Shield, in eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northern and central Amazonian Brazil, with populations extending south of the Amazon River along major tributaries and into northeastern Bolivia. Within this range it is strongly tied to lowland rainforests along rivers and streams, especially in areas with forested river islands, granite outcrops, and rich flowering trees near water.

Subspecies and Distribution
Crimson Topaz has three recognized subspecies.

Topaza pella pella
Distribution: Found in eastern Venezuela, the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), and northern and western Brazil, east of the Rio Negro and north of the Amazon River. It inhabits lowland riverine and terra firme forests, especially along blackwater and clear‑water rivers and around forested river islands in this northern band.
Topaza pella microrhyncha
Distribution: Occurs south of the Amazon River in northern Brazil, from the lower Madeira River east through parts of Pará, and into northeastern Bolivia. It occupies lowland rainforests along southern Amazonian tributaries and adjacent terra firme forest, favoring river edges and forest clearings with abundant flowering trees.
Topaza pella smaragdula
Distribution: Restricted to northeastern Brazil, including the Amapá region and the lower Amazon delta. It is associated with lowland rainforest and riverine forest in the easternmost part of the species’ range, using forest edges, river margins, and nearby clearings.

Species Overview
The Crimson Topaz is one of the largest and most spectacular hummingbirds, rivaled in size only by a few highland giants and its close relative the Fiery Topaz. Males combine a velvety dark head and throat with intense crimson, golden, and green iridescence on the body and long, crossed outer tail feathers. The species inhabits lowland rainforest canopies and river edges, often remaining high above the ground and visiting flowering trees along rivers, forest edges, and clearings near water.

Male Description
Adult males have a long, straight to slightly decurved black bill and a velvety black head, face, and sides of the neck. The back and uppertail coverts are iridescent crimson, shading toward golden or golden‑green near the rump. The throat is a brilliant golden green, bordered below by a narrow black band, and the underparts are bright crimson to fiery red. The central tail feathers are bronzy‑green, while the outer tail feathers are chestnut; two of the outer feathers are greatly elongated, narrow, and cross at the tips, creating a distinctive scissor‑like silhouette in flight. The wings are brownish. In strong light, males flash a combination of black head, golden‑green throat, crimson back, and crossed chestnut tail streamers that make them unmistakable.

Female Description
Females are noticeably smaller and much less gaudy than males. The head and back are dark green, and the underparts are yellow‑green to golden‑green with crimson or reddish discs or inclusions on the throat and abdomen. The tail feathers are bronzy in the center, violet in the next pair, and chestnut in the outer pair, but none are elongated or crossed as in the male. The bill is similar in shape but slightly shorter and finer. Juveniles resemble females but have duller colors, more grayish tones on the underparts, and less distinct throat and belly markings, gradually gaining more intense coloration with age.

Habitat & Behavior
Crimson Topazes inhabit lowland primary and gallery rainforest, especially near rivers and streams. They frequent the canopy and upper mid‑story, visiting flowering trees and epiphytes along river edges, within forest interior, and around granite outcrops and forested river islands. They feed on nectar from a variety of flowering trees and shrubs, often favoring blooms in the canopy, and also capture small insects and spiders for protein by hawking in flight or gleaning near flowers. Because they spend much of their time high in the canopy and along remote rivers, they are often difficult to observe despite their size and brilliant plumage. Males may perform display flights over clearings or water, showing off their long crossed tail feathers.

Breeding
Breeding typically occurs between about July and November in much of the range, though exact timing may vary locally. The female builds a shallow, bowl‑like nest of soft plant materials such as seed down (including from Bombax and similar trees) bound with spiderweb, often suspended from a branch over or near streams or small rivers, typically around 40–50 cm above the water surface. She lays two white eggs and alone incubates and raises the chicks, as is typical for hummingbirds. Nest placement over water may help reduce predation and provide a cooler, more humid microclimate.

Population
The total number of mature Crimson Topazes is unknown, and the species is generally considered uncommon to locally fairly common across its broad but patchy range. It occurs within several protected areas and in remote forest regions, but is naturally thinly distributed and largely confined to riverine and adjacent lowland forests. Overall, the population is believed to be slowly decreasing, reflecting ongoing deforestation and degradation of lowland Amazonian habitats, particularly along rivers and accessible forest edges.

Conservation
Crimson Topaz is assessed as Least Concern due to its wide distribution and significant overall extent of occurrence. However, its decreasing trend indicates vulnerability to deforestation, forest fragmentation, and development along Amazonian rivers and lowland forests. Conservation of extensive tracts of intact lowland rainforest, protection of river corridors and forested river islands, and careful management of logging and agricultural expansion near rivers are important for maintaining viable populations. Because the species is associated with remote and often pristine habitats, continued protection of large reserves and indigenous territories within northern Amazonia and the Guianan Shield is particularly important.

Below is the Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella pella)

Photographed in Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Brazil

This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies pella, which occurs throughout the Guianas and northern Brazil north of the Amazon River, including the Rio Negro region of Amazonas. It inhabits lowland rainforest, riverine forest, and forest edge along blackwater rivers, typically below 600 meters.