Blue-throated Hummingbird

Blue-throated Hummingbird, male; Portal, AZ; June

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Blue-throated Hummingbird, female; Portal, AZ; June

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

The largest hummingbird found north of Mexico, the Blue-throated Hummingbird reaches the northern limit of its range in southeastern Arizona. It inhabits streamside habitat in mountain canyons.

Description

Small bird; large hummingbird. Dull plumage overall, except for adult male's blue throat. Green above, with gray underparts. White stripes on face.

• Size: 11-12 cm (4-5 in)
• Wingspan: 19 cm (7 in)
• Weight: 6-8 g (0.21-0.28 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but male has cobalt-blue throat and female has gray one.

Sound

Territorial male makes peeping chip notes, about one every second or two. Male also gives a "whisper song" consisting of a complex series of multiple notes.

Conservation Status

Given its scarcity and the specificity of its habitat requirements, the Blue-throated Hummingbird is vulnerable to habitat loss in United States portion of its range. In Mexico, logging of forest habitat also poses a threat.

Other Names

Oiseau-mouche de clémence, Colibri à gorge bleue (French)
Chupamirto garganta azul, Chupaflor gorjiazul, Colibrí garganta azul, Colibri-serrano gorjiazul (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Unlike most North American hummingbirds, the Blue-throated Hummingbird does not have an aerial display. Instead, the male uses several different vocalizations to defend its territory and attract mates.

• The female Blue-throated Hummingbird gives a special call that appears to indicate that she is ready to mate. She makes a series of short flights that appear to be a display to the male before copulation.

• As might be expected for the largest North American hummingbird species, the Blue-throated Hummingbird beats its wings about half as fast as the smaller species. Still, it manages to beat them 23 times a second while hovering.

• The Blue-throated Hummingbird is about three times heavier than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

  Sources used to construct this page:

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  1) Chai, P., and D. Millard. 1997. Flight size constraints: hovering performance of large hummingbirds under maximal loading. Journal of Experimental Biology 200: 2757-2763.

  2) Ficken, M. S., K. M. Rusch, S. J. Taylor, and D. R. Powers. 2002. Reproductive behavior and communication in Blue-throated Hummingbirds. Wilson Bull. 114: 197-209.

  3) Williamson, S. L. 2000. Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae). In The Birds of North America, No. 531 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

   
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