Birds diurnal

Blue-tailed Emerald

Chlorostilbon mellisugus

A shimmering jewel of the tropics, the Blue-tailed Emerald is a master of aerial acrobatics and brilliant iridescence. Watch for the flash of its deep blue tail as it darts through gardens with fearless energy.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 7.5–9.5 cm (2.9–3.7 in); Wingspan: approx. 10–12 cm (4–4.7 in); Weight: 2.3–3.5 g (0.08–0.12 oz)

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Colors

Males are shimmering emerald green with a metallic sheen and a dark blue or steel-blue tail. Females are metallic green above with pale greyish underparts and a white stripe behind the eye.

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Key Features

Iridescent emerald green plumage (males)
Forked, steel-blue or blue-black tail
Short, straight black bill
White post-ocular (behind eye) stripe on females
Tiny, hovering flight with rapid wingbeats

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours 6:30-9:30 AM and 4:00-6:30 PM

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Season Year-round in tropical regions, with increased visibility during local dry seasons when flowers bloom.

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Diet Primarily nectar from a wide variety of native and ornamental flowers; also consumes small spiders and insects caught in mid-air (hawking) for essential protein.

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Habitat Open and semi-open landscapes, including backyard gardens, forest edges, scrublands, and coffee plantations.

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Behavior

The Blue-tailed Emerald is a high-energy dynamo, characterized by its rapid wingbeats and assertive personality. Despite their diminutive size, these hummingbirds are fiercely territorial. They are often seen dive-bombing much larger birds or chasing away rivals from a prized flowering shrub. They spend a significant portion of their day 'trap-lining,' which involves flying a set route between specific nectar-producing plants to ensure a steady food supply.

While they are mostly solitary, they are highly adapted to human presence and are frequent visitors to suburban gardens and parks. Their flight is erratic and lightning-fast, but they often pause to hover with incredible precision while feeding. When they aren't foraging, they prefer to perch on thin, exposed twigs to survey their territory and preen their iridescent feathers.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality images of the Blue-tailed Emerald, camera placement is critical. Position your AI-powered camera within 18 to 30 inches of a known food source, such as a red or tubular-flowered plant (like Hibiscus or Salvia). Because these birds move so quickly, direct sunlight is your best friend—aim the camera so the sun is behind you, illuminating the bird’s breast to highlight the metallic emerald iridescence. If the bird is in the shade, the feathers often appear dull or black, losing the very color that gives them their name.

One of the most effective strategies for backyard cameras is to target 'sentinel perches.' Blue-tailed Emeralds almost always have a favorite bare twig near their feeding area where they sit to rest and guard their territory. If you can identify this branch, mount your camera with a clear line of sight to it. This will provide much sharper, still portraits than trying to catch them in flight. If you are using a hummingbird feeder, choose one with a perch, as it encourages the bird to stay stationary long enough for the camera’s AI to lock focus and trigger a recording.

Adjust your camera settings for the highest possible shutter speed or use a 'high-speed' video mode if available. These birds beat their wings up to 80 times per second, so a standard 30fps video will often result in a blur. Using a trigger delay of zero is essential. Seasonally, ensure you keep the camera lens clean during the rainy season, as water droplets can cause the autofocus to hunt, missing the tiny, fast-moving subject. During the peak of the dry season, keeping a clean water mister or birdbath nearby can also attract them for unique 'bathing' shots.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Blue-tailed Emerald.

Glittering-bellied Emerald

The Glittering-bellied Emerald has a reddish bill with a black tip, whereas the Blue-tailed Emerald has a fully black bill.

White-vented Plumeleteer

Much larger than the Blue-tailed Emerald with conspicuous white feathers under the tail and bright pink legs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Blue-tailed Emeralds are most active in the early morning shortly after sunrise and again in the late afternoon before dusk. These are their primary feeding windows when nectar levels in flowers are typically highest.

Plant red, orange, or bright pink tubular flowers like Bottlebrush, Salvia, or Firebush. Providing a clean hummingbird feeder with a 4:1 water-to-sugar ratio and a shallow water mister for bathing will also draw them in.

Their diet consists mainly of sugar-rich nectar from flowers, supplemented by small insects and spiders. They catch insects in flight to obtain the protein and minerals needed for their high-metabolism lifestyle.

Yes, they are very adaptable and are one of the most common hummingbirds found in gardens, parks, and suburban areas across Northern South America and parts of the Caribbean.

The key is the tail: the Blue-tailed Emerald has a distinctively forked, dark blue or steel-colored tail. Males are entirely green without the white 'booties' seen in some other emerald species, while females have a clear white stripe behind the eye.

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