Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Previously listed as Amazilia oenone (Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International 2020) and before that by the current name (del Hoyo and Collar 2014), now moved back to original genus following a recent overhaul of all genera by NACC, based on McGuire et al. (2014), Stiles et al. (2017a, b) and others. Proposed type locality of Trinidad seems unlikely, as there are apparently no definite records with specific localities, and the species has not been mentioned in any work on Trinidad birds since 1900. Subspecies josephinae relatively distinctive, owing to male’s green not blue throat (score 3), and less rich emerald-green mantle to rump (1); but no other characters distinguishing it are known; more study needed. Subspecies alleni and proposed subspecies peruviana may not be adequately separable from josephinae. Several other subspecies proposed: longirostris from E Colombia differs from nominate only in average bill length; azurea, supposedly from W Ecuador but no definite records thence (in fact, probably from E Ecuador), has characters of a subadult male of oenone; and intermedia of upper Amazonia probably of hybrid origin. Described form Thalurania lerchi, known from Bogotá trade skins, is apparently a hybrid between present species and Thalurania furcata. Three subspecies currently recognised.
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2022. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
medium |
| Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as locally fairly common in foothills, but rare in lowland Amazonia (Stiles and Boesman 2020).
Trend justification:
The population trend has not been investigated. Tree cover within the range is lost at a rate of 3% over ten years (Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Apart from humid forests, the species also occurs in edge and secondary habitat, plantations, gardens, as well as disturbed and fragmented forests (Stiles and Boesman 2020); consequently, the current rate of tree cover loss may not be affecting the population. Therefore, in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, the population is suspected to be stable.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Golden-tailed Sapphire Chrysuronia oenone. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/golden-tailed-sapphire-chrysuronia-oenone on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.
