Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Phaeochroa cuvierii

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
FamilyTrochilidae (Hummingbirds)
GenusPhaeochroa
SpeciesPhaeochroa cuvierii (Scaly-breasted Hummingbird)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

3 Verified sightings at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve From 2019 to 2026

9,718 Verified sightings across all 33 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

The scaly-breasted hummingbird or scaly-breasted sabrewing (Phaeochroa cuvierii) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Most major taxonomic systems place the scaly-breasted hummingbird by itself in genus Phaeochroa. However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) places it in the large genus Campylopterus and calls it the scaly-breasted sabrewing. All but HBW follow the findings of a 2014 study that found Campylpterus to be polyphyletic and resulted in the move of several species to other genera.

The worldwide systems agree that the scaly-breasted hummingbird has these six subspecies: P. c. roberti (Salvin, 1861) P. c. maculicauda Griscom, 1932 P. c. furvescens Wetmore, 1967 P. c. saturatior (Hartert, 1901) P. c. cuvierii (Delattre & Bourcier, 1846)

P. c. berlepschi Hellmayr, 1915 P. c. roberti has been suggested as a separate species. The scaly-breasted hummingbird is 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 in) long and weighs about 8 to 10 g (0.28 to 0.35 oz). All of the subspecies... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Colibri cyanotus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Lampornis calolaemus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Eupherusa eximia

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Campylopterus hemileucurus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Endemic

Microchera cupreiceps

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Heliodoxa jacula

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Calliphlox bryantae

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Saucerottia hoffmanni

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Phaethornis guy

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Amazilia tzacatl

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cynanthus canivetii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Microchera albocoronata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
2	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
3	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
4	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
5	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
6	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
7	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
8	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
9	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
10	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
11	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~10%
12	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
13	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
14	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
15	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
16	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
17	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
18	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
19	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
20	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
21	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
22	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
23	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
24	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
25	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
26	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
27	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
28	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
29	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
30	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
31	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
32	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
33	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

About the Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Recent sightings of Scaly-breasted Hummingbird in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Closest Relatives at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Lesser Violetear

Purple-throated Mountain-gem

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing

Coppery-headed Emerald

Green-crowned Brilliant

Magenta-throated Woodstar

Blue-vented Hummingbird

Green Hermit

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Canivet's Emerald

Snowcap

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found