Selasphorus ardens
The Glow-throated Hummingbird, *Selasphorus ardens*, is a diminutive and dazzling jewel of the montane cloud forests of Central America. Measuring approximately 7-8 cm (2.8-3.1 inches) in length and weighing a mere 3 grams, males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant, fiery orange-red gorget that practically glows against their iridescent green upperparts. A distinct white postocular spot and dull white belly with green flanks complete their striking appearance, contrasted by a dark, ...
Found primarily in humid montane and cloud forests, forest edges, and clearings with ample flowering vegetation, typically at elevations between 900 and 2,200 meters (3,000-7,200 feet).
Primarily nectivorous, feeding on nectar from a wide variety of small, tubular flowers; supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, typically hawked in flight or gleaned from foliage.
Glow-throated Hummingbirds are highly active during daylight hours, often perching and darting between flowering plants, with specific communal roosting sites for night. They are fiercely territorial, aggressively defending prime nectar sources from other hummingbirds and even larger insects, oft...
The Glow-throated Hummingbird is an endemic resident of the highlands of western Panama and adjacent Costa Rica. Its primary range extends through the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica, specifically in provinces such as San José, Cartago, and Chiriquí, and continues into the western highlands...
Least Concern
- The male's gorget feathers are structured to reflect light in a way that makes them appear to 'glow' with an intense, fiery orange-red hue, a phenomenon called structural coloration. - Despite its tiny size, the Glow-throated Hummingbird is known for its aggressive territoriality, often chasing...