Blue-throated Mountain-gem Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A large hummingbird with a rather long, slightly decurved bill. It has a long, full tail and long wings.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Broad-tailed Hummingbird, smaller than a Bridled Titmouse.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 4.3-4.7 in (11-12 cm)
    • Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (8.1-8.6 g)

  © Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Adult males are bronzy green above with white lines above and below the eye and a glittering blue throat (gorget) that can appear dark in poor light. They are gray below, with whitish tips to blackish tail feathers. Females and juveniles are similar but lack the blue throat.

• Behavior

  Drinks nectar while hovering at flowers or hummingbird feeders. Often chases smaller hummingbirds away from food sources. May remain at a single patch of flowers or travel between productive patches of flowers when feeding. Also gleans insects from vegetation. Males display by singing quietly, flashing the blue gorget, and fanning the tail; females sometimes sing with males.
• Habitat

  Inhabits coniferous and mixed woodlands between 3,200 and 11,500 feet elevation, usually in areas with an abundance of flowers, such as along creekbeds. Also visits feeders.