Versicolored Emerald

Versicolored Emerald

Chrysuronia versicolor

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Itatiaia National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

270 Verified sightings at Itatiaia National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,556 In all 8 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Versicolored Emerald

The versicoloured emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor) is a species of hummingbird from central and eastern South America. The taxonomy is very complex and remains a matter of dispute. The nominate subspecies (C. v. versicolor) occurs in two main morphs; a white-throated coastal type and a green/turquoise-throated inland type. At some localities individuals with intermediate features are commonly seen, but at others the two morphs seemingly co-occur without signs of intergradation. The coastal morph was formerly known as C. brevirostris, but a review lead to this name being considered to belong to the white-chested emerald of northern South America. Recently, it has been suggested that the coastal type should remain as C. brevirostris, but this has been disputed, and has yet to gain wide recognition.

The exact distribution limits between several subspecies of the versicoloured emerald are poorly known, and, in addition to the coastal nominate, some other subspecies have been considered separate species, especially the blue-green emerald (C. (v.) rondoniae), also known as the Rondonia emerald. This was based on plumage and reported sympatry with C. versicolor (ssp?), but... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:24

Brazil · 2026

© JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · XC1162260 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Alarm call0:04

Argentina · 2024

© Marcos E. Sosa · XC1074793 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:04

Colombia · 2022

© Mauricio Cuéllar Ramírez · XC706535 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
2 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
3 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
4 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
5 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
6 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
7 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
8 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Brasilia 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
2 Santos 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
3 Belo Horizonte 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
4 São Paulo 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Parque das Aves 🇧🇷 Brazil In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Versicolored Emerald in Itatiaia National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Versicolored Emerald sighting in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, based on 270 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 126th most-seen of the 352 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Versicolored Emerald in Itatiaia National Park?

September and November

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Versicolored Emerald in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–May and July, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Versicolored Emerald?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Versicolored 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 Itatiaia National Park the best place to see a Versicolored Emerald?

Yes

Of the 8 parks where we can rate Versicolored Emerald sightings, Itatiaia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Iguazú National Park (Argentina, about 20%) and Serra dos Órgãos National Park (Brazil, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Versicolored Emerald live in Itatiaia National Park?

Same family: Trochilidae

The closest relatives of the Versicolored Emerald that you can see in Itatiaia National Park (family Trochilidae, Hummingbirds) are Brazilian Ruby (about 60%), Violet-capped Woodnymph (about 60%) and Scale-throated Hermit (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Versicolored Emerald sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Versicolored Emerald is recorded against all the birds logged in Itatiaia National Park (270 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.

← Back to Itatiaia National Park