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. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Reproduction
8. Conservation Status
9. Other Names

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.

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.

  Description

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

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

  Large black tail with white corners. White line behind eye.

  Sex Differences

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

  Immature

  Juvenile resembles adult female, but with buffy edging on most feathers, especially on crown and rump.

  Similar Species

  • Female and immature Magnificent Hummingbird similar, but with longer bill, green rump and green central tail feathers instead of brownish rump and black tail.

  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.

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  Range

  Range Map
  
  
  

  © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

  About the map

  Summer Range

  Breeds in mountainous areas from southeastern Arizona to central Mexico.

  Winter Range

  Winters in central Mexico.

  Habitat

  Open woodland, second growth and shrubby areas, primarily in pine-oak and deciduous woodland, sometimes nesting under bridges, in caves or on buildings, in migration also visiting flowers in open situations and gardens.

  Reproduction

  Clutch Size

  Usually 2 eggs. Range: 1-2.

  Young

  Helpless.

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  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)
  

  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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