Great sapphirewing

The great sapphirewing is one of the largest hummingbirds; only the two of genus Topaza and the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) are larger. It is 15.5 to 19 cm (6.1 to 7.5 in) long including the 3.6 cm (1.4 in) bill. Males weigh between 9.6 and 11.2 g (0.34 and 0.40 oz) and females 8.4 to 11 g (0.30 to 0.39 oz). Both sexes have a small white spot behind the eye. Males of the nominate subspecies have dark shining blue-green upperparts. The wing is mostly shining blue and the tail greenish black. The underparts are also blue-green but somewhat bluer than the upperparts. Nominate females have mostly dark metallic green upperparts with a dusky gray crown. Only the wing coverts are blue; the rest of the wing is dusky. The tail is mostly greenish black with much white on the outermost feathers. The underparts are cinnamon that is mixed with green on the sides.

Males of subspecies P. c. caeruleus have even more and darker blue than the nominate. Females also have more blue, a darker crown, and less white on the outer tail feathers. Males of P. c. peruvianus have more greenish than blue upperparts than the nominate, though the wings have about the same amount of blue. The underparts are also greenish, with a buffy belly. The female's underparts are a less intense cinnamon than the nominate's and it has more white on the outer tail feathers.