Меднолобый изумруд Коста-Рики

Species of hummingbird

The coppery headed emerald (Microchera cupreiceps) is a small hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.

The coppery headed emerald was formerly placed with the white tailed emerald (M. chionura) in the genus Elvira. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that these two species were closely related to the snowcap in the then monospecific genus Microchera. The International Ornithological Committee and the Clements taxonomy placed the three species together in Microchera which has priority. However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World retains them in Elvira.

The coppery headed emerald is found in the highlands of northern and central Costa Rica. In most of its range it is found on the Caribbean slope but in the far north is also found on the Pacific slope. It inhabits the edges and interior of moist to humid montane forest. In the forest interior males are often found in the canopy and females in the understory but both occur at all levels at the edges and in semi open areas like clearings. In elevation it ranges from on the Caribbean slope but on the Pacific side is seldom found below about .

The coppery headed emerald's breeding season extends from October to March and may vary within that window from year to year. Males court females at leks in small groups, singing from a perch and chasing other males. Females construct a small cup nest of plant down and tree fern scales bound with spiderweb with some moss and lichen on the outside. It is typically placed between above the ground in the understory or along an edge. The clutch size is two eggs; the incubation period and time to fledging are not known.

The coppery headed emerald's song is a "high, thin, twittering and warbling." Its call has been described as "a high, thin, liquid quip or quit or rapid high sputtering in chases."

The IUCN has assessed the coppery headed emerald as being of Least Concern. Its population is estimated to be at least 20,000 mature individuals and stable. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered fairly common and is found in many protected areas.