Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Empress Brilliant

Heliodoxa imperatrix (Gould, 1856)

15–17 cmLength8.8 gWeight

The empress brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae.

Busiest months: January–February and November · Most records: Colombia, Ecuador

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Empress Brilliant has been recorded at 53 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Alto Anchicayá - El DescansoColombia3,444 records
  2. Reserva Mashpi-AmagusaEcuador2,820 records
  3. Refugio Paz de las AvesEcuador2,648 records
More places
  1. Camino Montezuma – Montezuma Rainforest LodgeColombia2,270 records
  2. PNN Tatamá – Camino MontezumaColombia1,497 records
  3. Camino Montezuma – Los CajonesColombia1,452 records
  4. Reserva Las TangarasEcuador1,433 records
  5. PNN Tatamá – Base Militar MontezumaColombia1,344 records
  6. PNN Tatamá – Cerro Montezuma-Los ChorrosColombia1,183 records
  7. Las Tangaras ProAves ReserveColombia1,081 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ColombiaEcuador

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The empress brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Empress Brilliant?

The Empress Brilliant is about 15–17 cm long and weighs around 8.8 g.

Where does the Empress Brilliant live?

Its breeding range: South America: west-central Colombia to northwestern Ecuador. It is most often recorded in Colombia and Ecuador.

When is the best time to see the Empress Brilliant?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Empress Brilliant endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Empress Brilliant as Least Concern.

What does the Empress Brilliant eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Empress Brilliant in?

It belongs to the family Hummingbirds (Trochilidae), order Apodiformes.

At a glance

Length
15–17 cm
Weight
8.8 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
73 mm
Tail
65 mm
Bill
33 mm
Tarsus
7 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: west-central Colombia to northwestern Ecuador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Heliodoxa

Other birds in the genus Heliodoxa

Velvet-browed BrilliantVelvet-browed BrilliantHeliodoxa xanthogonysPink-throated BrilliantPink-throated BrilliantHeliodoxa gularisRufous-webbed BrilliantRufous-webbed BrilliantHeliodoxa branickiiBlack-throated BrilliantBlack-throated BrilliantHeliodoxa schreibersiiGould's JewelfrontGould's JewelfrontHeliodoxa aurescensFawn-breasted BrilliantFawn-breasted BrilliantHeliodoxa rubinoidesGreen-crowned BrilliantGreen-crowned BrilliantHeliodoxa jaculaViolet-fronted BrilliantViolet-fronted BrilliantHeliodoxa leadbeateriBrazilian RubyBrazilian RubyHeliodoxa rubricaudaCrimson TopazCrimson TopazTopaza pella
Empress Brilliant

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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