Versicolored emerald

Appearance

It has a total length of 8–10 cm. The relatively long, slightly decurved bill is black with flesh-colored base to the lower mandible. The tail is coppery-green with a dark subterminal band. The upperparts and flanks are coppery-green. The central underparts and crissum are white. The color of the throat, face-sides and crown varies greatly both individually and depending on subspecies. The throat ranges from all greenish or turquoise in inland nominate, ''nitidifrons'' and ''kubtcheki'', to bluish in ''rondoniae'' and white in coastal nominate, ''hollandi'' and ''millerii''. Most races have green face-sides and crown, but this is typically turquoise-blue or azure blue in ''hollandi'' and ''rondoniae''.

Distribution

It occurs in northern Bolivia, eastern Paraguay, far north-eastern Argentina, and eastern, southern and central Brazil, being absent from the arid Caatinga and most of the Amazon Basin, although locally extending into this region in the south-east and along major rivers . A population, possibly disjunct , occurs in far north-western Brazil, southern Venezuela, western Guyana and eastern Colombia.

It occurs in a wide range of semi-open habitats with some trees; even in urban areas. It generally avoids the interior of humid primary forest, and in regions where such habitats dominate, it mainly occurs in relatively open sections or along forest borders . It is widespread, generally fairly common and possibly benefits from the widespread deforestation in tropical South America.