White-bellied Emerald

Common name: White-bellied Emerald
Scientific name: Chlorestes candida
Clades: Trochilini - Emeralds

The White-bellied Emerald is a stunning hummingbird that thrives in the humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forests of the tropical Caribbean lowlands. You'll also find them along wooded river banks, clearings, and plantations. In the winter, they often seek refuge near swamps and semi-deciduous forests. While these birds are quite common in the lowlands, they are less frequently seen at higher elevations or on the Pacific slope. They are versatile feeders and singers, gracing all levels of the forest with their presence.

Adults: The White-bellied Emerald boasts upperparts of metallic bronze or bronze-green, with the back typically displaying a greener hue. Their tails (rectrices) are a striking metallic bronze, with all but the central pair featuring a broad subterminal band of dark purplish bronze or blackish, glossed with purplish bronze. The tips of the outer pairs of rectrices are a dull brownish gray. Their wings (remiges) are a dark brownish slate or dusky color. The underparts are pristine white, spotted with metallic bronze-green from the malar region to the flanks. The undertail coverts usually have a faint pale brownish-gray tinge. Both sexes look nearly identical, though females usually have paler tips on their outer rectrices.

Immature: Young White-bellied Emeralds resemble adults but with a subtle difference. The feathers on their crowns, rumps, and uppertail coverts are narrowly and indistinctly tipped with brownish, giving them a slightly softer appearance.

These dazzling hummingbirds are a delight to spot, whether flitting through the forest or serenading the surroundings with their melodious songs. Their vibrant colors and lively behaviors make them a true treasure of the tropical lowlands.

3 subspecies:

1. C. c. genini
   Distribution E Mexico (SE San Luis Potosí and Veracruz S to N Oaxaca).

2. C. c. pacifica
   Distribution Pacific slope in SE Mexico (SE Chiapas) and S Guatemala.

3. C. c. candida
   Distribution SE Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula and N Chiapas) through N Guatemala and Belize to Honduras and NE Nicaragua.