Gilded Hummingbird

Argentina

Jul 17

Gilded Hummingbird (Hylocharis chrysura)

Name Origin:
The genus name Hylocharis derives from Greek hyle (“wood” or “forest”) and charis (“grace” or “beauty”), referring to the elegant forest-dwelling emeralds. The species name chrysura means “golden-tailed” in Greek, describing the bird’s glowing rufous-golden tail.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 8.5–9.5 cm (3.3–3.7 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3.5–4.0 g (0.12–0.14 oz)
🌎 Range: Eastern and central South America
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Open woodland, savanna, scrub, gardens, and plantations
🧬 Clade: Trochilini “Emeralds” (lowland and open-habitat hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic species — no recognized subspecies.

Distribution: Widely distributed across eastern and central South America, from southeastern Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay eastward through Brazil (Mato Grosso to São Paulo, Bahia, and Minas Gerais) and south to Uruguay and northern Argentina. Common in Cerrado woodland, gallery forest, and urban areas, often near flowering shrubs and trees.

Species Overview

The Gilded Hummingbird is a bright, energetic species whose golden-tinged plumage gleams in sunlight. It is a familiar presence across much of Brazil and neighboring countries, frequently visiting gardens, plantations, and city parks. Adaptable and resilient, it thrives in both natural and human-modified habitats, making it one of the most visible hummingbirds in southeastern South America.

Male Description:
The male displays shimmering green upperparts, a golden-green throat and chest, and a rufous-golden tail that flashes vividly in flight. The underparts are pale green to grayish with bronze reflections. The bill is blackish with a reddish base on the lower mandible.

Female Description:
The female resembles the male but is slightly duller, with grayish-white underparts and less metallic sheen. Her tail is shorter, with rufous outer feathers and a dark subterminal band.

Habitat & Behavior:
Occurs in open and semi-open habitats, including savannas, dry forests, clearings, and gardens. It feeds on nectar from a wide range of flowering plants, including Erythrina, Inga, and Stachytarpheta, and also captures small insects in flight. The Gilded Hummingbird is active and territorial, often chasing intruders from favored feeding sites. It perches conspicuously and performs rapid, darting flights between flowers.

Conservation Note:
The Gilded Hummingbird is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains common and widespread throughout its range. Its adaptability to human environments has allowed it to persist even where natural habitats are fragmented. Local populations benefit from the abundance of ornamental flowering plants. Continued conservation of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest edges, along with pollinator-friendly landscaping, supports stable populations of this luminous Trochilini species.