Fiery Topaz
Fiery Topaz (Topaza pyra)
Name Origin:
The genus Topaza is derived from the word “topaz,” referring to the gemstone-like iridescence of these large, brilliantly colored hummingbirds. The species name pyra comes from the Greek pyr (“fire”), describing the blazing red and orange hues that distinguish this spectacular Amazonian bird.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 20–22 cm (7.9–8.7 in), including tail streamers
⚖️ Weight: 10–12 g (0.35–0.42 oz)
🌎 Range: Southern Venezuela, eastern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northwestern Brazil
🧭 Elevation: Lowlands up to 600 m (2,000 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Lowland rainforest, forest edges, and riverine forest
🧬 Clade: Topazini “Topazes” (large Amazonian hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Two subspecies:
1. Topaza pyra amaruni
Distribution: Eastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru (Loreto, Ucayali).
2. Topaza pyra pyra
Distribution: Southern Venezuela (Amazonas), southeastern Colombia, and northwestern Brazil.
Species Overview
The Fiery Topaz is one of the most resplendent hummingbirds in the world — a large, long-tailed Amazonian species that glows with fiery metallic colors. It inhabits the dense, humid forests of the upper Amazon Basin, often near large rivers. Males, with their iridescent red-orange throats and elongated, ribbon-like tail streamers, are among the most striking of all Neotropical birds.
Male Description:
The male is a vision of iridescence, with fiery red-orange underparts, a golden-green crown and back, and a brilliant ruby-red throat that flashes intensely in sunlight. The tail features long, narrow, purplish-black streamers that extend well beyond the body length. The wings are dark purplish-brown, and the bill is long and slightly decurved.
Female Description:
The female is smaller, lacking the elongated tail streamers. She has green upperparts, a rufous throat and belly, and a shorter, bronze-green tail with a rufous base. Her appearance is elegant but far more subdued than the male’s flaming brilliance.
Habitat & Behavior:
Occupies terra firme and riverine forests up to 600 meters elevation, particularly near clearings and along river margins. It feeds primarily on nectar from large, tubular flowers, such as Heliconia and Costus, and supplements its diet with small arthropods. The Fiery Topaz is most often seen flying rapidly through canopy openings or feeding in sunlit patches, where its colors blaze vividly. Males perform aerial display flights, showing off their long tails in wide, swooping arcs.
Conservation Note:
The Fiery Topaz is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains widespread but generally uncommon across the upper Amazon Basin. Though not currently threatened, it is sensitive to habitat loss and forest fragmentation, particularly along river corridors. It occurs within several protected regions, including Yasuní National Park (Ecuador), Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (Peru), and Jaú National Park (Brazil). Continued preservation of Amazonian riverine and lowland rainforest ecosystems is essential to ensure the survival of this remarkable Topazini jewel.
Below is the Fiery Topaz (Topaza pyra pyra)
Photographed in Manacapuru, Amazonas, Brazil
This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies pyra, which occurs throughout the Amazon Basin south of the Amazon River, including the Solimões, Madeira, and Tapajós drainages of Brazil, and into eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. It inhabits lowland tropical rainforest and riverine forest along major waterways, usually below 600 meters elevation.
Checkout Anthony’s playlist of this species! Click the top right dropdown to see all the videos.