Photo: Joseph C Boone / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Empress Brilliant
Heliodoxa imperatrix
Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 8.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Heliodoxa
- Species imperatrix
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.8 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Empress Brilliant is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Empress Brilliant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) is a member of the Trochilidae family, within the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA wc Colombia to nw Ecuador.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 22,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Empress Brilliant?
The Empress Brilliant is a very small bird that weighs around 8.8 g.
Where does the Empress Brilliant live?
The Empress Brilliant is found across South America with a range covering SA wc Colombia to nw Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Empress Brilliant belong to?
The Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Empress Brilliant eat?
The Empress Brilliant is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Empress Brilliant migrate?
The Empress Brilliant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Empress Brilliant 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 Empress Brilliant make?
1 real field recording of the Empress Brilliant — 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 Empress Brilliant's range?
The Empress Brilliant has a mapped global range of about 22,000 km².
Conservation
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.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.