Golden-tailed Sapphire (Chrysuronia oenone)

Identification & Behavior: ~10 cm (4 in). The male Golden-tailed Sapphire is mostly green with a violet cap (josephinae) or blue head (oenone) and iridescent bluish on the throat and breast. The female is green above and light gray below with a variable amount of green specks along the sides of the throat, breast, and belly. Both sexes have a characteristic coppery-golden tail and uppertail coverts, which are more saturated in the male. The bill is nearly straight and black. The Golden-tailed Sapphire is superficially similar to the Rufous-throated Sapphire but is distinguished by having a black bill, and green throat and breast.

Status: The Golden-tailed Sapphire is uncommon and widespread in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 1700 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Zafiro de Cola Dorada.

Sub-species: Golden-tailed Sapphire (Chrysuronia oenone oenone), Lesson, 1832. EC Colombia to E Ecuador, extreme NE Peru (N Amazonas, NW Loreto) and adjacent extreme W Brazil.
(Chrysuronia oenone josephinae), Bourcier and Mulsant, 1848. Most of E Peru.

Meaning of Name: Chrysuronia: Appears to be a combination of specific name Ornismya chrysura Lesson, 1832 (= syn. Chrysuronia oenone) and specific name Ornismia oenone Lesson, 1832. Oenone:  Gr. myth. Oenone, a Phrygian nymph beloved and deserted by Paris.

See more of the Family Trochilidae