Trochilini is one of the three tribes that make up the subfamily Trochilinae in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. The other two tribes in the subfamily are Lampornithini (mountain gems) and Mellisugini (bees).
The informal name "emeralds" has been proposed for this group. Several genera contain species with "emerald" in their common name including Chlorostilbon which contains ten. The tribe contains 114 species divided into 36 genera.
Phylogeny A molecular phylogenetic study of the hummingbirds published in 2007 found that the species formed nine major clades. When Edward Dickinson and James Van Remsen, Jr. updated the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World for the 4th edition in 2013 they based their classification on these results and placed three of the nine clades in the subfamily Trochilinae. The clades were placed in separate tribes which they named Trochilini (emeralds), Lampornithini (mountain gems) and Mellisugini (bees). The tribe Trochilini with the current circumscription was introduced in 2009.
Molecular phylogenetic studies by Jimmy McGuire and collaborators published between 2007 and 2014 determined the relationships between the major groups of hummingbirds. In the cladogram below the English names are those introduced in 1997. The Latin names are those proposed by Dickinson and Remsen in 2013.
The 2014 study by McGuire led to a major revision of the classification of the Trochilini. Many of the traditional genera were found to be polyphyletic and as a result the classification was substantially revised as shown below in the cladogram. Only one new genus was introduced (Elliotomyia) but eleven genera were resurrected (Phaeoptila, Riccordia, Pampa, Thaumasius, Talaphorus, Leucolia which was later renamed Ramosomyia, Saucerottia, Amazilis, Uranomitra, Chionomesa and Polyerata). At the same time six of the former genera were synonymized (Aphantochroa, Cyanophaia, Elvira, Goethalsia, Juliamyia and Lepidopyga). The number of species in each genus are taken from the AviList taxonomy published in 2025.
Taxonomic list The tribe contains 36 genera.
Image Genus Living species Phaeoptila Dusky hummingbird, Phaeoptila sordida Riccordia Cuban emerald, Riccordia ricordii Brace's emerald, Riccordia bracei Hispaniolan emerald, Riccordia swainsonii Puerto Rican emerald, Riccordia maugaeus Blue-headed hummingbird, Riccordia bicolor Cynanthus Broad-billed hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris Tres Marias hummingbird, Cynanthus lawrencei Turquoise-crowned hummingbird, Cynanthus doubledayi Golden-crowned emerald, Cynanthus auriceps Cozumel emerald, Cynanthus forficatus Canivet's emerald, Cynanthus canivetii Chlorostilbon Garden emerald, Chlorostilbon assimilis Western emerald, Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus Red-billed emerald, Chlorostilbon gibsoni Blue-tailed emerald, Chlorostilbon mellisugus Chiribiquete emerald, Chlorostilbon olivaresi Glittering-bellied emerald, Chlorostilbon lucidus Coppery emerald, Chlorostilbon russatus Narrow-tailed emerald, Chlorostilbon stenurus Green-tailed emerald, Chlorostilbon alice Short-tailed emerald, Chlorostilbon poortmani Basilinna White-eared hummingbird, Basilinna leucotis Xantus's hummingbird, Basilinna xantusii Pampa Curve-winged sabrewing, Pampa curvipennis Wedge-tailed sabrewing, Pampa pampa Long-tailed sabrewing, Pampa excellens Rufous sabrewing, Pampa rufa Abeillia Emerald-chinned hummingbird, Abeillia abeillei Klais Violet-headed hummingbird, Klais guimeti Orthorhyncus Antillean crested hummingbird, Orthorhyncus cristatus Anthocephala Santa Marta blossomcrown, Anthocephala floriceps Tolima blossomcrown, Anthocephala berlepschi Stephanoxis Green-crowned plovercrest, Stephanoxis lalandi Purple-crowned plovercrest, Stephanoxis loddigesii Campylopterus Grey-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus largipennis Outcrop sabrewing, Campylopterus calcirupicola Diamantina sabrewing, Campylopterus diamantinensis Rufous-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus hyperythrus White-tailed sabrewing, Campylopterus ensipennis Lazuline sabrewing, Campylopterus falcatus Santa Marta sabrewing, Campylopterus phainopeplus Violet sabrewing, Campylopterus hemileucurus Buff-breasted sabrewing, Campylopterus duidae Napo sabrewing, Campylopterus villaviscensio Chalybura Bronze-tailed plumeleteer, Chalybura urochrysia White-vented plumeleteer, Chalybura buffonii Thalurania Crowned woodnymph, Thalurania colombica Fork-tailed woodnymph, Thalurania furcata Long-tailed woodnymph, Thalurania watertonii Violet-capped woodnymph, Thalurania glaucopis Microchera Snowcap, Microchera albocoronata Coppery-headed emerald, Microchera cupreiceps White-tailed emerald, Microchera chionura Goldmania Violet-capped hummingbird, Goldmania violiceps Pirre hummingbird, Goldmania bella Eupherusa Mexican woodnymph, Eupherusa ridgwayi White-tailed hummingbird, Eupherusa poliocerca Oaxaca hummingbird, Eupherusa cyanophrys Stripe-tailed hummingbird, Eupherusa eximia Black-bellied hummingbird, Eupherusa nigriventris Phaeochroa Scaly-breasted hummingbird, Phaeochroa cuvierii Leucippus Buffy hummingbird, Leucippus fallax Thaumasius Tumbes hummingbird, Thaumasius baeri Spot-throated hummingbird, Thaumasius taczanowskii Taphrospilus Many-spotted hummingbird, Taphrospilus hypostictus Eupetomena Swallow-tailed hummingbird, Eupetomena macrourus Sombre hummingbird, Eupetomena cirrochloris Talaphorus Olive-spotted hummingbird, Talaphorus chlorocercus Trochilus Red-billed streamertail, Trochilus polytmus Black-billed streamertail, Trochilus scitulus Ramosomyia Violet-crowned hummingbird, Ramosomyia violiceps Green-fronted hummingbird, Ramosomyia viridifrons Cinnamon-sided hummingbird, Ramosomyia wagneri Saucerottia Azure-crowned hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanocephala Blue-vented hummingbird, Saucerottia hoffmanni Berylline hummingbird, Saucerottia beryllina Blue-tailed hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanura Snowy-bellied hummingbird, Saucerottia edward Steely-vented hummingbird, Saucerottia saucerrottei Indigo-capped hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanifrons Chestnut-bellied hummingbird, Saucerottia castaneiventris Green-bellied hummingbird, Saucerottia viridigaster Copper-rumped hummingbird, Saucerottia tobaci Copper-tailed hummingbird, Saucerottia cupreicauda Amazilia Cinnamon hummingbird, Amazilia rutila Buff-bellied hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis Rufous-tailed hummingbird, Amazilia tzacatl Honduran emerald, Amazilia luciae Mangrove hummingbird, Amazilia boucardi Amazilis Amazilia hummingbird, Amazilis amazilia Uranomitra Andean emerald, Uranomitra franciae Chrysuronia Shining-green hummingbird, Chrysuronia goudoti Golden-tailed sapphire, Chrysuronia oenone Versicolored emerald, Chrysuronia versicolor Sapphire-throated hummingbird, Chrysuronia coeruleogularis Sapphire-bellied hummingbird, Chrysuronia lilliae Humboldt's sapphire, Chrysuronia humboldtii Blue-headed sapphire, Chrysuronia grayi White-chested emerald, Chrysuronia brevirostris Plain-bellied emerald, Chrysuronia leucogaster Leucochloris White-throated hummingbird, Leucochloris albicollis Chionomesa Glittering-throated emerald, Chionomesa fimbriata Sapphire-spangled emerald, Chionomesa lactea Hylocharis Rufous-throated sapphire, Hylocharis sapphirina Gilded sapphire, Hylocharis chrysura Elliotomyia White-bellied hummingbird, Elliotomyia chionogaster Green-and-white hummingbird, Elliotomyia viridicauda Polyerata Blue-chested hummingbird, Polyerata amabilis Charming hummingbird, Polyerata decora Purple-chested hummingbird, Polyerata rosenbergi Chlorestes White-bellied emerald, Chlorestes candida Blue-throated sapphire, Chlorestes eliciae White-chinned sapphire, Chlorestes cyanus Violet-bellied hummingbird, Chlorestes julie Blue-chinned sapphire, Chlorestes notata
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