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Photo: AISSE GAERTNER / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Crimson Topaz

Topaza pella

Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella) — Hummingbirds of South America.

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The Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 12.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Apodiformes
  3. Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
  4. Genus Topaza
  5. Species pella

Where it lives

Northeastern Amazonia

Quick facts

Weight
12.1 g
Family
Trochilidae
Order
Apodiformes
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Crimson Topaz is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Crimson Topaz is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Amazonia.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.1 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Crimson Topaz — Call, song

Recorded by Pritam Baruah Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Crimson Topaz?

The Crimson Topaz is a very small bird that weighs around 12.1 g.

Where does the Crimson Topaz live?

The Crimson Topaz is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Amazonia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Crimson Topaz belong to?

The Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.

What does the Crimson Topaz eat?

The Crimson Topaz is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Does the Crimson Topaz migrate?

The Crimson Topaz is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Crimson Topaz endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Crimson Topaz make?

1 real field recording of the Crimson Topaz — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Crimson Topaz's range?

The Crimson Topaz has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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Guides for this bird

Best Hummingbird Feeders

How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.

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Meet the Trochilidae

A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

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