White-bellied Emerald

White-bellied Emerald

Chlorestes candida

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Cusuco National Park

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

256 Verified sightings at Cusuco National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,214 In all 13 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the White-bellied Emerald

The white-bellied emerald (Chlorestes candida) is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, and Nicaragua. The white-bellied emerald was originally placed in genus Amazilia. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that Amazilia was polyphyletic. In 2020 the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) moved it and four other hummingbirds into genus Chlorestes. In 2021 the Clements taxonomy followed suit. However, the 2020 Version 5 of BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retains it in Amazilia.

The nominate subspecies of white-bellied emerald is 8 to 11 cm (3.1 to 4.3 in) long and weighs 2.9 to 4.3 g (0.10 to 0.15 oz). Adults' upperparts are metallic bronze to bronzy green, with the back usually greener than the crown and neck. The underparts are white with metallic bronzy green from... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:33

Guatemala · 2024

© Peter Boesman · XC880034 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:09

Mexico · 2016

© Marilyn Castillo · XC402744 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Flight call0:42

Mexico · 2017

© Dan Lane · XC400115 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
2 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~40%
3 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
4 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
5 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~30%
6 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
7 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
8 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
9 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~20%
10 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
11 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
12 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
13 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-bellied Emerald in Cusuco National Park?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a White-bellied Emerald sighting in Cusuco National Park on a given day, based on 256 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 250 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-bellied Emerald in Cusuco National Park?

February–May and September

In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a White-bellied Emerald in Cusuco National Park on a given day, against about 20% in December, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a White-bellied Emerald?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-bellied Emerald sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Cusuco National Park the best place to see a White-bellied Emerald?

Among the best

Of the 13 parks where we can rate White-bellied Emerald sightings, Cusuco National Park ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 40%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the White-bellied Emerald live in Cusuco National Park?

Same family: Trochilidae

The closest relatives of the White-bellied Emerald that you can see in Cusuco National Park (family Trochilidae, Hummingbirds) are Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (about 60%), Stripe-throated Hermit (about 30%) and Long-billed Hermit (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the White-bellied Emerald sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-bellied Emerald is recorded against all the birds logged in Cusuco National Park (256 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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