HUMMINGBIRDS OF CENTRAL AMERICA

Garnet-Throated Hummingbird

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lamprolaima Rhami

Males have an iridescent emerald green back, bright rufous wings, dark purple tail, iridescent violet chest, black abdomen and a throat that have an iridescent garnet patch surrounded by black.

Females have a sooty gray below and lack the throat and chest colors of the male.

BILL: black, short, straight.

SIZE: large, measuring about 4.5 - 5 inches in length.

WEIGHT:  weighs about 7 - 9.5 grams.

COLOR: emerald green, rufous, dark purple, iridescent violet, iridescent garnet-red, sooty gray, white and black.

Subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Hovering, while feeding from flowers. Aggressively chase away other males as well as large insects - such as bumblebees and hawk moths - that want to feed in their territory. They use aerial flights and intimidating displays to defend their territories.

NECTAR from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs, and epiphytes.

INSECTS small spiders and insects.

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

NEST: cup-shaped nest out of plant fibers woven together and green moss on the outside for camouflage in a protected location in a shrub, bush or tree.

EGGS: 2 white eggs.

The Garnet-Throated Hummingbird is listed by the Mexican Government as Threatened.

REFERENCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/

                         https://www.beautyofbirds.com/

                         https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/