Fiery Topaz
Scientific name: Topaza pyra
The Fiery Topaz is a large, brilliantly iridescent hummingbird of lowland Amazonian rainforest and riverine forest in northwestern Amazonia. 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: Lowland rainforests of southern Venezuela (Amazonas), southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru (Loreto, Ucayali), and northwestern Brazil, mainly along large rivers and forested river basins.
Habitat: Interior and edges of lowland evergreen rainforest, riverine and gallery forest, and forested river islands, especially along blackwater and clear‑water rivers and streams.
Elevation: Mostly from near sea level to about 500 m (1,600 ft).
Length: Up to about 19–21 cm (7.5–8.3 in), including bill and tail, males longer than females.
Weight: Roughly 11–16 g (0.39–0.56 oz), males heavier on average than females.
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 fiery yellow, orange, and red tones, reflecting the brilliant, jewel‑like plumage of these birds. The species name pyra refers to “fire” or “flame,” alluding to the glowing fiery reds and oranges in the male’s body and tail. The English name “Fiery Topaz” captures both its intense fiery coloration and its membership in the topaz clade.
Taxonomy & Distribution
Fiery Topaz is one of two species in the genus Topaza, alongside Crimson Topaz, and belongs to the subfamily Florisuginae, the “topazes,” which also includes jacobins in genus Florisuga. It inhabits the northwestern Amazon basin, occurring in southern Venezuela (Amazonas), southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru (Loreto, Ucayali), and northwestern Brazil. The species is patchily distributed, mostly along major rivers and in adjacent terra firme and riverine forests, where flowering trees and suitable nesting sites near water are available.
Subspecies and Distribution
Fiery Topaz has two recognized subspecies.
Topaza pyra amaruni
Distribution: Found in eastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru, particularly in the Napo River basin, Río Corrientes region, and nearby western Amazonian lowlands. It inhabits lowland rainforest and riverine forest along these rivers, favoring flowering trees in the canopy and upper mid‑story near waterways.Topaza pyra pyra
Distribution: Occurs in southern Venezuela (Amazonas), southeastern Colombia, and northwestern Brazil. It occupies lowland Amazonian rainforests, gallery forests, and forested river islands along major tributaries and main river channels, especially where rich flowering trees line river margins and forest edges.
Legend
Green Resident
Species Overview
The Fiery Topaz is a large, spectacular hummingbird often considered one of the most beautiful birds of the Amazon. Males combine a dark velvety hood with a brilliant lime‑green throat and a body glowing with fiery orange or copper‑red tones, plus a long, deeply forked tail. Like Crimson Topaz, it inhabits lowland rainforest canopies, especially along rivers, where it feeds high in the canopy and can be surprisingly difficult to see despite its size and color.
Male Description
Adult males are large, with a long, straight to slightly curved black bill. The head, throat, and upper breast form a dark velvety hood, contrasting with a bright lime‑green gorget or throat patch in many lights. The back, shoulders, and underparts are fiery orange to copper‑red, creating a glowing, gemstone‑like appearance in sunlight. The tail is long and deeply forked; the central feathers are shorter, and the outer feathers are elongated and cross in a loose X behind the bird, often showing rich chestnut or coppery tones with darker tips. The wings are dusky brown. In flight or display, the combination of dark hood, green throat, fiery body, and long crossed tail feathers is striking and unmistakable.
Female Description
Females are smaller and less vividly colored than males. They are mostly green above, with a dark hood reduced compared to the male and underparts that are greener or yellow‑green, often with rusty or buffy tones on the throat and belly. The tail is shorter and less deeply forked, lacking the extremely elongated outer feathers of males but still showing bronzy and chestnut tones with darker tips. The bill is similar in shape but proportionally shorter and finer. Juveniles resemble females but with duller colors, more gray or brown mixed into the underparts, and less distinct tail patterning; young males gradually develop longer tail feathers and brighter fiery coloration as they mature.
Habitat & Behavior
Fiery Topazes inhabit lowland evergreen rainforests and riverine forests, especially in proximity to large rivers, streams, and flooded forest edges. They often feed high in the canopy and upper mid‑story, visiting flowers of tall trees and epiphytes along river margins and in forest clearings. They feed on nectar from a variety of flowering plants and also capture small insects and spiders in flight or by gleaning near flowers. The species is typically shy and patchily distributed, more often detected where flowering trees are concentrated along river courses. Males may perform aerial display flights, showcasing their long forked tails around open river stretches or clearings.
Breeding
Breeding occurs within suitable lowland rainforest habitats, with timing varying across its range but often aligned with local peaks in flowering and favorable rainfall patterns. The female builds a cup or shallow bowl nest of soft plant fibers and seed down bound with spiderweb, typically hung from a branch or vine over or near water, similar to Crimson Topaz. Nests are often positioned several meters above the water surface, providing reduced access for some predators and a cooler, more humid microclimate. The female lays two white eggs and alone incubates and raises the chicks, as is typical of hummingbirds.
Population
The total number of mature individuals is unknown. Fiery Topaz is considered scarce to locally uncommon across its patchy range in the northwestern Amazon. It tends to be tied to riverine and adjacent lowland forest habitats, which are increasingly fragmented or altered by logging, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure development. Although it persists in several protected areas and remote forests, the overall population is believed to be decreasing.
Conservation
Fiery Topaz is currently assessed as Least Concern, but its decreasing trend and dependence on intact lowland Amazonian forests and riverine habitats highlight its vulnerability to ongoing deforestation and habitat degradation. Conservation efforts that protect continuous tracts of lowland rainforest, preserve river corridors and forested river islands, and regulate logging, mining, and agricultural expansion in Amazonian lowlands are critical for this species. Ensuring the integrity of protected areas and indigenous territories in southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru, southern Venezuela, and northwestern Brazil will significantly aid the long‑term survival of Fiery Topaz and associated Amazonian biodiversity.
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.
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Related species in the Topaza genus (2 species in total):
Please note: The content provided in this article reflects Anthony’s personal experience and photographic approach. Results can vary depending on light, weather, location, equipment, subject behavior, and field conditions.