Lampornis viridipallens
The Green-throated Mountaingem, Lampornis viridipallens, is a robust, medium-sized hummingbird indigenous to the highland forests of Middle America, typically measuring 11-12.5 cm (4.3-4.9 inches) in length and weighing 4.5-6.5 grams. This visually striking species boasts iridescent green upperparts, grayish-white underparts, and a distinguishing brilliant emerald-green gorget on males, which can appear dark depending on the light. A prominent white post-ocular stripe contrasts with a dark ch...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and pine-oak woodlands, typically found at elevations ranging from 900 to 3,000 meters (3,000 to 9,800 feet).
The diet consists mainly of nectar from a diverse array of flowering plants, including epiphytes, shrubs, and small trees. It also actively consumes small insects and spiders, which are caught on the wing or gleaned from foliage.
Green-throated Mountaingems are highly diurnal, spending their active hours foraging or perching discreetly on branches before seeking sheltered roosts at dusk. They employ a 'trap-lining' foraging strategy, systematically visiting a circuit of scattered flowers, but will also fiercely defend par...
The Green-throated Mountaingem is a resident species distributed across the highlands of southern Mexico and northern Central America. Its range extends from southeastern Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico, eastward through Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. It is strictly a montane bird, t...
Least Concern
- The Green-throated Mountaingem is one of the larger species within its genus, *Lampornis*, known for robust hummingbirds. - Its iridescent green throat can appear surprisingly dark, even black, in poor light conditions, making field identification challenging at times. - Like all hummingbirds, ...