Golden-tailed Sapphire Chrysuronia oenone Scientific name definitions

The golden-rufous tail of the Golden-tailed Sapphire helps indentify both sexes since they tend to appear dark. These sapphires are found around humid forest edges, second growth, light woodlands, plantations, gardens, and partially open areas with scattered trees. During the dry season, individuals congregate at large flowering trees and try to defend small floral territories. In less dry periods, birds often forage singly at flowers at various levels. The early rainy season also coincides with when males sing the most. Large and sudden seasonal migrations of these sapphires have been noted in Venezuela.

9·5–10 cm; male 4·7–6·3 g (1 Collins, C. T. (1972). Weights of some birds of north-central Venezuela. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 92(6):151–153. Close ), female 4·3–5·3 g (1 Collins, C. T. (1972). Weights of some birds of north-central Venezuela. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 92(6):151–153. Close ). Maxilla black, mandible red with black tip. Male has entire head and throat violet-blue, breast glittering green passing to bronzy green on belly, undertail-coverts bronze edged with whitish; back bright green, shading through bronze-green to brilliant coppery uppertail-coverts and copper-bronze tail . Female has crown blue, shading to green on back and copper-bronze on uppertail-coverts and tail; below mostly whitish, heavily flecked with blue-green on sides of throat and neck, and green on sides and across chest, bronze-green on flanks; undertail-coverts with bronzy centres. Juvenile male has crown dull green, throat dusky grey with dull buffy feather fringes and chest duller green; the first generation of blue feathers on head and throat are more blue, less violet than in adult male; juvenile female has green spotting below duller and more bronzy, less bluish than in adults. In race <em>josephinae</em> , male has throat mostly green, rump green contrasting more with coppery tail-coverts ; alleni has no blue on throat and little or none on malar area, with rump more or less coppery in both sexes.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Visits mostly flowering trees (Erythrina, Inga) and shrubs (Aphelandra, Palicourea) for nectar ; many may gather in quarrelsome assemblages at flowering trees, female more often trap-lines dispersed flowers in forest; male occasionally defends territories at flowers when more aggressive species like Thalurania furcata are absent; flycatches from perches at forest edge or gaps, and gleans arthropods from foliage.

Quite vocal. Song rather variable, a repeated rhythmic phrase, often starting with a burry note, followed by several very squeaky or scratchy notes, and ending with repeated chips. Calls include a drawn-out metallic trill and shorter chipping notes.

Birds in breeding condition Jun–Nov in E Colombia, but season stated to be Jan–Apr in W Brazil (2 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). During breeding season males usually in leks of 5–10, occasionally solitary. Clutch size two eggs, size 14–14·3 mm × 9 mm, mass 0·47 g (2 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ); incubation period stated to be 14 days and fledging period 28 days (2 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). No further information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Fairly common, at least locally, in foothill areas of Colombia and Venezuela, but relatively rare in Amazonian lowlands far from the Andes. In Colombia, known to use disturbed and fragmented forests.