Introduction
The Puerto Rican Emerald, Riccordia maugaeus, is a small hummingbird endemic to Puerto Rico. It is one of the island’s characteristic native birds and occurs in forests, gardens, plantations and other habitats where flowering plants provide nectar.
Physical Description
The Puerto Rican Emerald is a small hummingbird measuring approximately 8.5 to 10 centimetres in length and weighing about 3 to 4 grams. It has a short, straight bill and a relatively long tail.
Adult males are predominantly metallic green, with a brighter green crown and a bluish-green throat. The wings and tail are darker, and the male’s tail is distinctly forked. The base of the lower mandible may show a reddish colour, while the upper mandible remains dark.
Females are less brightly coloured. They have green upperparts, pale greyish or whitish underparts, a dark eye-stripe and a small pale mark behind the eye. Their tail is less deeply forked or notched, with conspicuous pale tips on the outer feathers. Juveniles generally resemble females but have duller plumage and less distinct tail markings.
Range and Habitat
The Puerto Rican Emerald is endemic to Puerto Rico and is resident rather than migratory. It is relatively widespread on the main island, although it is less regularly recorded in parts of the east and is not generally found on Culebra. Records from Vieques are considered unusual or infrequent.
The species uses a broad range of wooded habitats, including lowland woodland, dry coastal forest, mangroves, humid mountain forest, shade-coffee plantations, secondary growth, gardens, parks and other developed areas with suitable vegetation. It is most often encountered at low to medium levels in vegetation, where flowering plants and cover are available.
Where to See This Species
El Yunque National Forest, Río Grande and eastern Puerto Rico
The forest’s humid mountain habitats, forest edges, gardens and flowering vegetation provide suitable conditions for the Puerto Rican Emerald. The species has been recorded in the Luquillo forest region, including areas associated with El Yunque and the Luquillo Experimental Forest. Look along quieter trails, forest edges and planted areas, especially where flowering shrubs are present.
Nearby accommodation: Río Grande, Luquillo and Fajardo provide practical bases with hotels, guest houses, holiday rentals and other accommodation.
Guánica State Forest, Guánica, southwestern Puerto Rico
Guánica’s dry coastal forest and wooded edges support Puerto Rican Emeralds, and the species is documented in the Guánica Biosphere Reserve bird records. Search flowering shrubs and forest margins during the cooler parts of the morning, when hummingbird activity is often easier to observe.
Nearby accommodation: Guánica, Yauco and nearby coastal communities offer hotels, guest houses, holiday rentals and self-catering accommodation.
Maricao State Forest, Maricao, western Puerto Rico
The Maricao State Forest includes montane forest and forest-edge habitats where the Puerto Rican Emerald has been recorded. Birding around accessible roads, trails and open forest margins can be productive, particularly where flowering plants grow near cover.
Nearby accommodation: Maricao and nearby towns such as San Germán and Mayagüez provide guest houses, small hotels, holiday rentals and other accommodation.
Behaviour and Diet
The Puerto Rican Emerald feeds mainly on nectar, visiting a variety of flowering plants and helping transfer pollen between flowers. It also takes small arthropods, including insects and spiders, by gleaning them from leaves and branches or catching them in short flights.
It is an active hummingbird and may defend a productive feeding area from other hummingbirds. Males can be territorial and may perform rapid chases, aerial displays and vocal displays around feeding sites or during courtship. The species is usually seen alone, although several individuals may gather temporarily where food is abundant.
The main breeding period is generally reported as February to May, although nesting can occur at other times of year. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest from plant fibres and spider silk, often camouflaged with lichens. A typical clutch contains two white eggs. The female alone incubates the eggs and feeds the nestlings, with incubation lasting about two weeks and fledging occurring roughly three weeks after hatching.
Identification Tips
- Look for a very small, short-billed hummingbird with bright green plumage.
- An adult male appears almost entirely metallic green, with a bluish-green throat and a noticeably forked tail.
- A female has pale underparts, a dark eye-stripe, a pale mark behind the eye and pale tail tips.
- The short, straight bill helps separate the species from larger hummingbirds such as the Puerto Rican Mango and Green Mango.
- In eastern Puerto Rico, a female Antillean Crested Hummingbird can appear similar. The Puerto Rican Emerald generally has a longer bill, a more distinctly marked face and a less rounded tail, while the Antillean Crested Hummingbird has a rounded tail and, in males, a conspicuous crest.
Conservation Status
The Puerto Rican Emerald is currently classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its overall population size and long-term trend are not well quantified, but the species is considered relatively common and uses both natural and human-modified habitats.
As an island endemic, it remains dependent on the continued availability of flowering plants, nesting vegetation and suitable wooded habitat. Habitat clearance, severe storms, changes in land use and possible disruption of flowering patterns may affect local populations. Protecting forests, gardens, shade plantations and other nectar-rich habitats benefits the species and the wider native bird community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Puerto Rican Emerald found?
The Puerto Rican Emerald is found only in Puerto Rico. It occurs across much of the main island, from coastal and lowland habitats to forests in the central and western mountains.
Is the Puerto Rican Emerald a migratory bird?
No. It is considered a resident hummingbird and does not undertake regular long-distance migration. Occasional records from offshore islands do not represent a normal migratory pattern.
What does the Puerto Rican Emerald eat?
It feeds mainly on flower nectar and supplements this diet with small insects and spiders. Arthropods provide important protein, particularly during breeding and chick-rearing.
How can male and female Puerto Rican Emeralds be distinguished?
Males are brighter and more uniformly metallic green, with a bluish-green throat and a deeply forked tail. Females are paler below, have a dark eye-stripe and show pale markings on the tail feathers.
When does the Puerto Rican Emerald breed?
Breeding is most often reported from February to May, although nests may be found outside this period. The female builds the nest, incubates the eggs and cares for the young.
Is the Puerto Rican Emerald endangered?
No. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern. Nevertheless, habitat protection remains important because it is restricted to Puerto Rico and depends on suitable flowering and nesting habitats.
References
- IOC World Bird List
- Puerto Rico Breeding Bird Atlas, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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