Empress Brilliant

Another of the Choco endemics, Empress Brilliant was a fairly dramatic and unique species.

We didn't see a ton of males in decent light, but the glossy dark dark green upperparts, long heavy tail, and lime underparts made for an impressive bird.

Here's one with a Violet-purple Coronet.

It's easy to forget how long hummingbirds' tongues are...

Both the brilliants that I've encountered have a rufous wash to the malar in young males (Green-crowned Brilliant does as well).

This next bird is a female brilliant (note the whitish malar mark) and the speckled throat.  I'm pretty sure this bird's tail is long enough to be an Empress, though it might just be a Green-crowned perched at an odd angle.

Here's a for-sure Green-crowned female for comparison.