Sapphire-spangled Emerald
Chionomesa lactea
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyTrochilidae (Hummingbirds)
- GenusChionomesa
- SpeciesChionomesa lactea (Sapphire-spangled Emerald)
About the Sapphire-spangled Emerald
The sapphire-spangled emerald (Chionomesa lactea) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is regularly found in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela; as a vagrant in Argentina; and has possibly occurred in Ecuador.
The sapphire-spangled emerald has at various times been placed in genera Hylocharis, Polyerata, and until 2014 in Amazilia. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that Amazilia was polyphyletic. In the revised classification to create monophyletic genera, the sapphire-spangled emerald and glittering-throated emerald (Chionomesa fimbriata) were moved by most taxonomic systems to the resurrected genus Chionomesa that had been introduced in 1921 by Eugène Simon. However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) retains it in Amazilia.
The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (SACC), the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), and the Clements taxonomy assign these three subspecies to the sapphire-spangled emerald:
C. l. zimmeri (Gilliard, 1941) C. l. lactea (Lesson, R.) C. l. bartletti (Gould, 1866) The... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Sapphire-spangled Emerald in Cordillera Azul National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cordillera Azul National Park
Glittering-throated Emerald
Chionomesa fimbriata
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Thalurania furcata
Peruvian Racket-tail
Ocreatus peruanus
Black-throated Mango
Anthracothorax nigricollis
Pink-throated Brilliant
Heliodoxa gularis
Napo Sabrewing
Campylopterus villaviscensio
Golden-tailed Sapphire
Chrysuronia oenone
Planalto Hermit
Phaethornis pretrei
Speckled Hummingbird
Adelomyia melanogenys
Violet-fronted Brilliant
Heliodoxa leadbeateri
Blue-tailed Emerald
Chlorostilbon mellisugus
Black-throated Hermit
Phaethornis atrimentalis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Cordillera Azul National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 5 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Madidi National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 8 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 10 | Canaima National Park | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 11 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Sapphire-spangled Emerald in Cordillera Azul National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sapphire-spangled Emerald sighting in Cordillera Azul National Park, based on 232 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Sapphire-spangled Emerald in Cordillera Azul National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Sapphire-spangled Emerald in Cordillera Azul National Park in our monthly data.