Cozumel Emerald

The Cozumel emerald, a hummingbird of the emeralds tribe Trochilini, is a glittering gem endemic to the island of Cozumel. Males, with their black bills tipped in red, boast a crown of bright golden to golden green, while their underparts shimmer in a metallic golden green, accented by white tibial tufts. Their tails are a striking blue-black or black with a blue gloss, deeply forked and featuring dark brownish gray tips on the central feathers. Females, slightly smaller, have a black maxilla and a red mandible with a black tip. Their upperparts are a lustrous metallic green to bronze green, and they have a distinctive white stripe behind the eye. Their tails are less forked, with the central feathers being metallic green to blue green, and the outer feathers displaying a black band and white tips.

Identification Tips

To identify the Cozumel emerald, look for the male's golden crown and the female's white post-ocular stripe. Both sexes have a metallic sheen, but the male's deeply forked tail and the female's banded tail with white tips are key distinguishing features.

Habitat

This species thrives in the scrub and low deciduous forests of Cozumel, as well as brushy woodlands and areas of secondary growth.

Distribution

The Cozumel emerald is a jewel found only on Cozumel Island, off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, with occasional sightings on nearby Isla Mujeres.

Behaviour

The Cozumel emerald is a permanent resident of its island home, where it is believed to engage in trap-lining feeding behavior similar to its close relatives, visiting a variety of flowering plants in a circuit.

Song & calls

The vocal repertoire of the Cozumel emerald includes dry, rattling, and chattering calls, akin to the sounds of its close relatives.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Cozumel emerald as Least Concern, with an estimated stable population of 20,000 to 50,000 mature individuals. It is considered fairly common to common and appears to be resilient to human activity, often occupying edge and disturbed habitats.