A rare hummingbird in US range. Restricted to limited sky island habitats.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The berylline hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia — Berylline hummingbird Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium hummingbird with a glittering green throat and breast, rufous wings and tail, and a partly reddish lower bill.
Similar species. Broad-billed and other Arizona hummingbirds lack the rufous wing patches; the rufous wings and green breast mark Berylline.
Voice. A buzzy, dry chatter and a metallic 'tzip'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Flower nectar; small insects and spiders for protein.
Behavior. A tropical hummingbird that barely reaches the U.S. in southeastern Arizona canyons; aggressively defends flowering plants and feeders.
§ Range
Mexico; rare in Arizona
§ Habitat
Sky islands of southwestern Arizona
§ Threats
Habitat loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the berylline hummingbird is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support southwestern habitat conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Berylline hummingbird
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Saucerottia beryllina
- IUCN Red List — search for Saucerottia beryllina
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Saucerottia beryllina
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
