About Riccordia ricordii (Gervais, 1835)
Riccordia ricordii, commonly known as the Cuban emerald, has distinct size differences between males and females. Males measure 10.5 to 11.5 cm (4.1 to 4.5 in) in length, while females measure 9.5 to 10.5 cm (3.7 to 4.1 in). The full species weighs between 2.5 and 5 g (0.088 and 0.18 oz). Males have a short, slightly decurved bill with a black tip; the mandible is dull black, and the maxilla is red. Males have a small whitish spot behind the eye. Their upperparts are dark shining green with a bronze tinge, and the crown is darker and duller. Their underparts are mostly iridescent metallic green, with white undertail coverts. The male tail is deeply forked: the innermost four pairs of tail feathers are dark metallic bronze to greenish bronze, and the outermost pair has a similar color with dark brown inner webs. Female upperparts are similar to those of males. Females have a longer whitish spot behind the eye. Their underparts are mostly brownish gray, with metallic green flanks and white undertail coverts. The female tail is less forked than the male's, but has the same coloration. The Cuban emerald is distributed across Cuba and the Bahamas. It occurs on Cuba's main island, the large Isla de la Juventud (also called the Isle of Pines), and several smaller offshore cays of Cuba. In the Bahamas, it is regularly found on Grand Bahama, Great Abaco, Andros, and Green Cay, and occasionally occurs as a stray on other Bahamian islands. This species inhabits a wide variety of wooded habitats. On mainland Cuba, it mostly occurs in both arid and humid open forest; on Grand Bahama, it occurs in pine woods and coastal scrub forest. It can also be found in parks, gardens, and plantations. In terms of elevation, it ranges from sea level to at least 1,300 m (4,300 ft), and there are records of individuals at almost 2,000 m (6,600 ft) on Cuba.
