Short-tailed Emerald

Short-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon poortmani)

Name Origin:
The genus Chlorostilbon is from Greek chloros meaning “green” and stilbon meaning “sparkling,” a nod to the bird’s iridescent plumage. The species name poortmani honors Dutch diplomat and naturalist Elie van den Poortman, who collected natural history specimens in Colombia.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~2.5–3.0 g (0.09–0.11 oz)
🌎 Range: Andes of Colombia and western Venezuela
🧭 Elevation: 800–2,200 m (2,600–7,200 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forest, edges, plantations, and gardens
🧬 Clade: Trochilini (“Emeralds”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Two subspecies:

1. Chlorostilbon poortmani euchloris
   Distribution: Endemic to the East Andes of Colombia, found on the western slope south to Huila, and on the eastern slope in Santander.

2. Chlorostilbon poortmani poortmani
   Distribution: Andes of western Venezuela (Mérida and Táchira) and the eastern slope of the East Andes in Colombia, from Boyacá to western Meta.

Species Overview

The Short-tailed Emerald is a compact, fast-moving hummingbird of the Colombian and Venezuelan Andes. Its short, notched tail and small size make it stand out among other emeralds. Males shimmer with bright green plumage, while females have paler underparts and a more subdued appearance. It’s often seen zipping through flowering gardens, coffee plantations, or forest edges, feeding on a wide range of blooms.

Male Description:
Bright emerald green throughout with a short, forked tail, black bill, and slight bluish tones on the crown and back depending on lighting.

Female Description:
Green upperparts, pale gray underparts, and a white postocular stripe. The short tail is dark with pale tips and shows a shallow notch.

Habitat & Behavior:
Occurs in lower montane forest, second-growth, coffee plantations, and garden edges. Feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering shrubs and small trees, often visiting ornamental plants in rural areas. Males are territorial and defend feeding patches aggressively. They also capture insects by sallying from exposed perches.

Conservation Note:
Listed as Least Concern, the Short-tailed Emerald has a relatively broad elevational range and is locally common in suitable montane habitats. It appears adaptable to disturbed areas and human-modified landscapes, including shade-grown coffee and gardens. However, ongoing deforestation in some parts of its range may fragment populations over time. Continued habitat connectivity is important for its persistence across the Andes.

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Below is the Short-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon poortmani poortmani)

Photographed at Finca Mangomacho and Rogitama Biodiversidad, Boyacá, Colombia

These individuals belong to the subspecies poortmani, which is found in the Andes of western Venezuela and along the eastern slope of Colombia’s Eastern Andes, from Boyacá south to western Meta. It inhabits humid montane forest edges, gardens, and shade coffee plantations between 1,000 and 2,200 meters. This subspecies shows the typical deep green plumage in males and pale gray underparts in females, with no known strong plumage distinctions from euchloris.