Riccordia maugaeus

(Audebert & Vieillot, 1801)

Vernacular names
English : Puerto Rican emerald
French : Émeraude de Porto Rico

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Apodiformes
Family : Trochilidae
Notes : No subspecies known

Identification
Very small hummingbird reaching 9.5 cm in length for a weight of 3.8 g. Short straight black bill. Male is entirely shiny dull metallic green with black wings and tail, red bill base and bluish throat. Female duller with white throat and belly.

Range and habitat
This species occurs in the Caribbean Islands and is endemic to the Island of Puerto Rico. Lives from coastal mangroves to montane forests, up to 800 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species is qualified as restricted range but isn’t threatened so far. It adapts well to man-made habitats and remain common throughout its range.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Dallas World Aquarium (USA)

 

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