The golden-crowned emerald (Cynanthus auriceps ) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to western Mexico.
In zoology, a nectarivore is an animal that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of the sugar-...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe golden-crowned emerald is 7.5 to 9.5 cm (3.0 to 3.7 in) long and weighs about 2.2 g (0.078 oz). The adult male's crown is brilliant golden green and the rest of its upperparts duller golden green to bronzy green. Its underparts transition from an almost pure green on the chin and throat to brilliant golden green at the vent. The tail is long and deeply forked; its feathers are black with a violet-bluish gloss, and the central three pairs have broad brownish gray tips. The adult female's upperparts are like the male's. Its underparts are light gray that is palest on the belly and vent. Its cheeks are dusky with a grayish white streak behind the eye. Its tail is also forked but much shorter than the male's; the central feathers are bluish green to bronze green and most have a black band near the end and gray tips. The male's bill is red with a black tip, the female's mandible is red with a black tip and the maxilla is black.
The golden-crowned emerald is found in western Mexico from Sinaloa south to eastern Oaxaca and also inland up the Balsas River basin to southern Morelos. It inhabits tropical dry forest at elevations from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft).
The golden-crowned emerald is mostly resident but is thought to make some seasonal elevational movements in a few areas.
The golden-crowned emerald is a "trap-line" feeder, visiting a circuit of flowering plants to take nectar. They wag their tail and spread its fork as they feed. In addition to nectar, they take insects from foliage.
The golden-crowned emerald's breeding season appears to span from February to July. It builds a small cup nest near the tip of a thin branch near the ground. Four nests in Jalisco had a small platform of wood pieces under the cup. The cup was made of kapok seed fibers with grass, bits of wood, and lichens on the outside. The clutch size is two eggs and fledging occurs about 24 or 25 days after hatch.
The IUCN has assessed the golden-crowned emerald as being of Least Concern. It has large range and an estimated population of at least 50,000 mature individuals that is believed to be decreasing. "Human activity probably has little short term effect on Golden-crowned Emerald."
