Top 10 Birds Named for Gemstones

This list combines two of my biggest passions: birds and gemstones.

How are gem colors related to bird colors and bird names?
- Emerald is always green, and birds with emerald in the name do have green plumage.
- Ruby is red to slightly purplish red.
- Amethyst is always purple or violet.
- Turquoise is usually turquoise, but the gem can also be blue, blue-green, or green.
- Sapphire is most strongly associated with the color blue, though it also occurs in many other colors.
- Tourmaline is one of the most colorful gems and minerals in the world, so expect many colors.

The Top Ten

  1. Sapphire-spangled Emerald

    It's at #1 because there are 2 gems in the bird's name. Sapphire and emerald, blue and green, respectively. The bird's back is usually green, but you can't see its back in this image.

    This bird looks so cool! I would love to have it as a pet.

  2. Blue-Tailed Emerald

    The color of its plumage is the color of the finest emeralds (green with a hint of blue).

  3. Brazilian Ruby

    Its throat has the color of a pinkish ruby.

  4. Amethyst Woodstar

    Amethyst color is purple, and this bird has the color purple.

  5. Glittering-bellied Emerald

  6. Diamond Dove

    A tiny member of the pigeon family, native to Australia. Appreciated by Crwth the pigeon fancier.

    Beautiful. The pale spots make it look like a sparkling diamond. Thanks for adding it, Crwth.

  7. Tourmaline Sunangel

    It's a species of hummingbird found in Colombia and Ecuador. Tourmaline is one of the most colorful gems in the world, and this bird is pretty colorful as well, although it isn't the most colorful bird in the world. But I get the idea of the bird's name. The layers of different colors look like the layers in a multi-colored tourmaline crystal (for example, an elbaite crystal. Elbaite is a tourmaline variety).

  8. Turquoise-Browed Motmot

    The name of the color turquoise comes from the color of the gem turquoise. The word turquoise means "Turkish" in French because the gem was imported from Turkey. The first recorded use of turquoise as a color name in English was in 1573.

  9. Asian Emerald Cuckoo

    Oh God, that bird's wings are pure emerald. IceBearRules

  10. Rufous-throated Sapphire

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Western Emerald

  12. ?

    Emerald Toucanet

    13. The Contenders

  13. Blue-chinned Sapphire

  14. Fiery Topaz

    Beautiful.

    I also like the turquoise and the tourmaline.

  15. Amethyst-throated Hummingbird

    (aka amethyst-throated mountaingem. Yes, mountaingem.) It lives in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

  16. Golden-tailed Sapphire

  17. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

  18. Glittering-throated Emerald

  19. Crimson Topaz

  20. Honduran Emerald

  21. Rondonia Emerald

  22. White-chinned Sapphire

  23. Versicolored Emerald

  24. White-chested Emerald

  25. White-bellied Emerald

  26. Andean Emerald

    It's a species of hummingbird. Its upper part of the body is green and its lower part is white.

  27. Plain-bellied Emerald

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