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COPPERY-HEADED EMERALD Elvira cupreiceps 7.5–8cm. Small white-
tailed hummer of humid foothill forest and edge, adjacent second growth. Feeds
low to high, males often in canopy; singing males gather at mid-levels in trees at
forest edge. Distinctive in range, with fairly short, slightly decurved bill; male
has coppery crown and upperparts, female has mostly white tail (central feathers
bronzy green), whitish underparts; cf. female Black-bellied Hummingbird.
SOUNDS: High liquid puit, often doubled or run into short rolled twitters.
STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common locally on Caribbean slope, mainly 700–
1500m; ranges to adjacent lowlands (mainly Apr–Sep) and spills over locally to
humid n. Pacific slope. (Endemic to Costa Rica.)
WHITE-TAILED EMERALD Elvira chionura 7.5–8cm. Small white-tailed
hummer of humid foothill forest and edge, adjacent second growth. Feeds low
to high, often at ornamental verbena; small groups of singing males gather at
mid-levels in forest edge. Distinctive in range (no overlap with Coppery-headed
Emerald), with fairly short, slightly decurved bill; male green overall with no
rusty wing patch, female has mostly white tail (central feathers green), whitish
underparts; cf. female Black-bellied Hummingbird, which has straighter bill,
rusty wing patch, dingier underparts, lacks black subterminal tail band.
SOUNDS: High liquid puit and short rolled twitters, much like Coppery-headed
Emerald. Song a high, wiry, twittering warble. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common locally on s. Pacific
slope, mainly 800–2000m. (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)
SNOWCAP Microchera albocoronata 6.5–7cm. Tiny, rather short-tailed hummer
of humid foothill forest and edge, adjacent second growth. Feeds low to high,
often at ornamental verbena; flight typically quick and darting. Singing males
gather at mid-levels in forest edge. Male stunning and distinctive; on female
note small size, short straight bill, bronzy central tail feathers; extensive white
shows in spread tail. Imm. male has variable purplish patches, typically a broad
dark median stripe on underparts. SOUNDS: High liquid puit and short twitters
in flight; recalls White-tailed Emerald. Song a squeaky chippering warble, at
times alternated with high buzzy trills, up to several secs. STATUS: Uncommon
to fairly common locally on Caribbean slope, mainly 300–1200m; ranges to adjacent lowlands (mainly
Jun–Sep) and spills over locally to humid n. Pacific slope. (Honduras to w. Panama.)
*STRIPE-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD Eupherusa eximia 9.5–10cm. Medium-
size hummer of humid foothill forest and edge, adjacent semi-open areas. Feeds
low to high. Feeding flight often quick and darting. White tail flashes often
striking when hovering, but concealed from above with tail closed. Male
underparts can appear black in poor light, cf. smaller Black-bellied Humming
bird, which has more white in tail; female Back-bellied has 3 vs. 2 white outer
tail feathers. SOUNDS: High, springy, slightly rolled tzzit, with variable metallic
or buzzy quality, often doubled or run into short chatters; lower, buzzier, and
slower-paced than White-tailed Emerald. Song a high, squeaky, rather fast-
paced chippering warble, at times with sputtering trills and squeaks, up to several secs. STATUS: Uncommon
to fairly common on both slopes, mainly 800–2100m. (Mexico to w. Panama.)
BLACK-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD Eupherusa nigriventris 7.5–8.5cm.
Small white-tailed hummer of humid foothill forest and edge. Feeds low to
high, often at mid–upper levels in forest, lower along edges. Feeding flight
often quick and darting. White tail flashes often striking when hovering,
concealed from above with tail closed. Male black face and underparts dis
tinctive, but cf. larger Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, which has more extensive
rufous in wings, less white in tail. Female Stripe-tailed larger and longer-billed
with only 2 white outer tail feathers. SOUNDS: High sharp tsiet when feeding,
very different from rolled chips of Stripe-tailed. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly
common on Caribbean slope, mainly 900–2000m; ranges down to 500m
(mainly Apr–Jul). (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)
