Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
Scientific name: Eupherusa eximia
The Stripe-tailed Hummingbird is a mid‑elevation hummingbird of humid and semi‑humid forests from southeastern Mexico south through Central America to western Panama. Its global number of mature individuals is estimated at 50,000–499,999, the population trend is Decreasing, and it is assessed as Least Concern (LC).
At a Glance
Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
Clade: Trochilini – Emeralds
Genus: Eupherusa — small forest hummingbirds with broad tails and contrasting wing or tail patterns
Range: Southeastern Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas) south through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama
Habitat: Edges and interior of humid montane, semi‑deciduous, and pine–oak forest, as well as plantations and second growth
Elevation: From near sea level to about 1,800 m in Mexico, 300–1,800 m in Honduras, and roughly 300–2,450 m in Costa Rica
Length: About 9–10 cm (around 3.5–4.0 in)
Weight: Around 4–4.5 g (about 0.14–0.16 oz)
Number of mature individuals: 50,000–499,999
Population trend: Decreasing
Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
Name Origin
The genus name Eupherusa likely derives from Greek roots meaning “good” or “true” (eu) and is applied to a small group of elegant, forest‑dwelling hummingbirds. The species name eximia comes from Latin eximius (“select,” “distinguished,” or “excellent”), referring to the bird’s striking appearance and bold tail pattern. Together, Eupherusa eximia evokes a “remarkable Eupherusa,” fitting for a hummingbird with a distinctive striped tail.
Subspecies & Distribution
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird currently has three recognized subspecies:
Eupherusa eximia nelsoni
Distribution: Eastern Mexico (Veracruz and Oaxaca), the northernmost part of the species’ range.Eupherusa eximia eximia
Distribution: From Chiapas in extreme eastern Mexico south through southern Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador into central Nicaragua, largely on the Caribbean slope of the highlands.Eupherusa eximia egregia
Distribution: Costa Rica and western Panama, on both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes.
Across these subspecies, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird occurs from southeastern Mexico through much of Middle America to western Panama, inhabiting humid montane, semi‑deciduous, and pine–oak forests and adjacent plantations and second growth from near sea level locally up to about 2,450 m.
Legend
Green Resident
Species Overview
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird is a fairly common mid‑elevation species at many sites from southeastern Mexico to western Panama, where it is often one of the characteristic hummingbirds of wet and semi‑humid forest. It is especially associated with forest edges, clearings, and plantations where flowering trees and shrubs are abundant. Despite its large range and local abundance, its population is thought to be decreasing due to ongoing habitat loss, though not rapidly enough at present to move it out of the Least Concern category.
Male Description
Adult males are medium‑small hummingbirds with bronzy‑green upperparts and a mostly dusky‑bronze tail marked with bold white in the outer feathers, creating the namesake striped effect in flight. The underparts are glittering green, somewhat duller on the belly, and the head and back are bright metallic green to bronzy‑green. The bill is straight and black, and the wings are dark; like other Eupherusa, males show rufous patches in the wings that can be visible in good light.
Female Description
Females are similar in structure but have somewhat paler, less intensely glittering green underparts and more white in the tail, especially on the outermost pair of tail feathers. The tail striping is often even more obvious in females due to stronger white contrasts. Upperparts remain bronzy‑green, and the bill and wing pattern are similar to those of the male.
Habitat & Behavior
Stripe-tailed Hummingbirds inhabit the edges and interior of humid montane, semi‑deciduous, and pine–oak forests, as well as plantations and second growth. They typically occupy middle elevations, from low foothills to montane zones, and may show local elevational movements, breeding higher and then moving lower after the season. They forage for nectar at all levels of the forest, but most often in the canopy; at edges and in clearings they also feed lower down, especially on flowering shrubs.
They visit a wide variety of flowering plants, with noted preferences for Inga trees, shrubs in the Acanthaceae and Rubiaceae families, epiphytes, and the flowers of Clusia, Besleria, and Salvia. Males often aggressively defend rich flower patches, chasing away other hummingbirds, while females may forage more widely, including in the understory.
Population
The global population of Stripe-tailed Hummingbird is estimated at 50,000–499,999 mature individuals. The overall trend is believed to be Decreasing, driven primarily by habitat loss and degradation of humid montane and foothill forests and their edges. Although the species remains fairly common at many sites across its broad Central American range, ongoing deforestation and land‑use change could cause further declines if not managed.
Conservation
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird is currently assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its large range and relatively high total numbers. However, forest clearance, conversion to agriculture, and degradation of montane and foothill forests across Middle America pose continuing threats. Protecting humid and semi‑humid forests, maintaining forest edges and flowering second growth, and conserving key mid‑elevation sites from Mexico to Panama will help ensure this attractive Eupherusa remains a familiar bird in Central American highlands.
Below is the Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia egregia)
Photographed at Bosque del Tolomuco, Batsú Gardens, and Cabinas El Quetzal, all in San José, Costa Rica
These individuals belong to the subspecies egregia, which occurs in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Birds in this group tend to be slightly larger and brighter than northern subspecies, with more contrasting tail pattern and richer green plumage. They favor elevations between 1,200 and 2,300 meters in montane forests, forest edges, and flowering gardens.
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Related species in the Eupherusa genus (4 species 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.