Blue-throated Mountain-gem

Male
Photo by destombe
Cave Creek Ranch, Portal, Arizona, January 2007

Alternative name: Blue-throated Mountaingem

Lampornis clemenciae

Identification

12cm

• Green upperparts
• Grey underparts
• Blue throat in male
• White stripe behind eye
• White malar streak
• White tipped black tail
• Long thin bill.

Female
Photo by UncleGus_24
Madera Canyon, Arizona, December 2008

Distribution

North and Central America
North America: Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas
Central America: Mexico

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

There are 3 subspecies:

• L. c. bessophilus:

• Mountains of south-western US to north-western Mexico (eastern Sonora and western Chihuahua)

• L. c. clemenciae:

• Western Texas (Chisos Mountains) to southern Mexico (southern Oaxaca)

An additional subspecies phasmorus, is not recognised by all authorities^[2].

Juvenile
Photo by UncleGus_24
Madera Canyon, Arizona, July 2006

Habitat

Shady wooded canyons. Forested mountains to 5,500 feet.

Behaviour

Breeding

The female builds the nest from soft plant fibres, held together with spider silk, exterior covered with green mosses, near water. The clutch of 2 white eggs are incubated for 17 to 19 days; the young fledging at 24 to 26 days. Up to three broods per year are possible.

Diet

The diet includes nectar and insects.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia
4. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue-throated Mountain-gem. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-throated_Mountain-gem

External Links

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