Coppery-headed Emerald

The Coppery-headed Emerald is a diminutive hummingbird endemic to the humid forests of Costa Rica. Its scientific name, Microchera cupreiceps, reflects its classification within a monotypic genus, and it was first formally described by the ornithologist George Newbold Lawrence in 1866. It exists as a specialized resident of the Caribbean slope, flourishing in the canopy and edges of cloud forests where it thrives on the nectar of flowering trees and epiphytes.

The bird's distinct aesthetic—characterized by its shimmering coppery-red crown and white-tipped, notched tail—is a prime example of sexual dimorphism within the Trochilidae family. Its evolution is tied to the specific floral diversity of the Talamanca mountains and adjacent foothills, where its pointed wings allow for precise, agile flight patterns necessary to maneuver through dense tropical foliage. While not commercially designed, the species is frequently documented in ornithological surveys and field guides as an essential indicator of the health of Central American high-altitude ecosystems.