# Chlorostilbon maugaeus The Green-crowned Brilliant is a beautiful hummingbird with shiny green feathers. It loves to sip nectar from flowers and can hover in the air like a tiny helicopter! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Chlorostilbon maugaeus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chlorostilbon_maugaeus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Katka Nemčoková, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chlorostilbon_maugaeus.jpg) ## Appearance The Chlorostilbon maugaeus is a small, iridescent emerald green hummingbird with a bright white post-ocular spot behind its eye. Males boast a deeply forked, glossy black tail, while females have a shorter, more rounded tail with distinctive white tips on their outer feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Apodiformes - **Family:** Trochilidae - **Genus:** Riccordia ## Interesting facts - It's the smallest bird species found only on the island of Puerto Rico! - Its wings beat so fast, they make a buzzing sound and blur into a shimmering haze! - This tiny bird can even fly backwards and upside down, which is super rare for birds! - To save energy at night, this tiny bird can enter a deep sleep called torpor. ## Special abilities - **Super-Agile Hovering:** Chlorostilbon maugaeus can hover perfectly still in the air because of its unique wing structure that allows rapid figure-eight motions. - **Hyper-Energy System:** Chlorostilbon maugaeus has an incredibly high metabolism that requires constant feeding to fuel its rapid wing beats and active lifestyle. - **Specialized Tongue:** Chlorostilbon maugaeus has a unique, long forked tongue that helps them efficiently collect nectar from deep inside flowers. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 8.5-9.5 cm - **Wingspan:** 10-12 cm - **Weight:** 0.0025-0.0035 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2 - **Incubation:** 14-16 days ## Diet & Feeding This tiny bird sips sweet flower nectar and snatches small insects for essential protein. - **Age differences:** Young birds need more protein from insects for rapid growth and development. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, small spiders, mosquitoes, gnats, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Sleeping Hibiscus (*Malvaviscus arboreus*) — Visits its red flowers for nectar, aiding plant reproduction. - **Pollinates:** Wild Coffee (*Psychotria ligustrifolia*) — Feeds on its small flowers, helping spread pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Broad-winged Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broad-winged-hawk) (*Buteo platypterus*) — Hunts small birds, including hummingbirds, in its range. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Feral cats are significant predators of these small birds. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch hummingbirds from a distance so they feel safe and can enjoy their flowers. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chlorostilbon maugaeus? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Chlorostilbon maugaeus? 8.5-9.5 cm ### What is Chlorostilbon maugaeus's wingspan? 10-12 cm ### How much does Chlorostilbon maugaeus weigh? 0.0025-0.0035 kg ### How long does Chlorostilbon maugaeus live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Chlorostilbon maugaeus move? 50 km/h ### What does Chlorostilbon maugaeus eat? This tiny bird sips sweet flower nectar and snatches small insects for essential protein. ### Where is Chlorostilbon maugaeus usually found? Mountain regions ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Chlorostilbon maugaeus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chlorostilbon-maugaeus)