Sapphire-spangled Emerald (Chionomesa lactea)

Identification & Behavior: ~9.5 cm (4 in).  The Sapphire-spangled Emerald is mostly green with iridescent violet on the throat and breast. The throat and breast feathers may have a grayish fringe to them giving a scaly effect. It has a characteristic pale center of the belly, vent area and, undertail coverts. The tail is dark blue and slightly notched.  The bill is nearly straight with a black culmen and red mandible.  The Sapphire-spangled Emerald shares the pale middle belly wedge with the Glittering-throated Emerald but is distinguished by having a violet throat and breast versus green in the latter. These species have limited geographic overlap.

Status: The Sapphire-spangled Emerald favors forest edges and second growth in Amazonia where it ranges at elevations of up to 1400 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Colibrí de Pecho Zafiro.

Sub-species: Sapphire-spangled Emerald (Chionomesa lactea bartletti), Gould, 1866.

Meaning of Name: Chionomesa: Gr. khiōn, khionos= snow; mesos= middle. lactea: L. lactis, lacteus=  milky, milk-white.

Formerly known as Amazilia lactea (2019).

See more of the Family Trochilidae