Anthracothorax viridigula
The Green-throated Mango (Anthracothorax viridigula) is a striking, medium-large hummingbird, typically measuring 10.5-12 cm (4.1-4.7 in) in length and weighing 6-7 grams. Males boast iridescent emerald green on the throat and breast, transitioning to a velvety blackish-green on the belly, contrasting sharply with their distinctive rufous outer tail feathers tipped with black. Females are slightly duller, often exhibiting a white post-ocular stripe and more extensive white on their underparts...
This species primarily inhabits lowland tropical regions, favoring coastal areas, open woodlands, mangrove forests, savannas, and cultivated gardens from sea level up to about 500 meters.
Their diet primarily consists of nectar, collected from a wide variety of flowering plants, supplemented significantly by small insects and spiders which provide essential protein.
Green-throated Mangoes are diurnal and highly active, often observed aggressively defending prime flowering territories, particularly males, who will chase away rival hummingbirds and even larger birds. Foraging involves a mix of trap-lining, where they repeatedly visit a circuit of favored flowe...
The Green-throated Mango is a resident species, primarily distributed along the northern coast of South America and adjacent islands. Its core breeding and year-round range extends from eastern Venezuela, across Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. There are also populations ...
Least Concern
- The Green-throated Mango is one of the larger hummingbird species within its range, making it a prominent sight at feeders and flowering trees. - Its dazzling iridescent plumage is not due to pigments but rather the microscopic structure of its feathers, which refract light like tiny prisms. - ...