Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem Hummingbird

BLUE-THROATED MOUNTAIN-GEM HUMMINGBIRD
aka BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD – (Lampornis clemenciae)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Lampornis
Species: L. clemenciae

The Blue-throated Mountain-gem aka Blue-throated hummingbird, primarily resides in Mexico and Central America.
Their range extends into parts of Guatemala and Honduras.

Prior to 2019, it was called the Blue-throated hummingbird but was renamed to highlight its membership in the Lampornis genus.

This name change emphasizes its distinct identity and connection to related species within its genus.

Male
Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem Hummingbirds:

Male Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds are distinguished by their vivid iridescent cobalt blue throat patch (gorget), which shimmers in sunlight and a prominent white stripe above the eye.

The metal plate that shields the wearer’s throat during combat to prevent injuries is the inspiration behind the name of the gorget on a male hummingbird. 

This name is acceptable and fitting to characterize the physical characteristics of male hummingbirds, since they fight fiercely for their own territory.

Read my article:
Hummingbird Gorgets Explained

His tail tips are painted white, and his wings and tail are also dark. The entire body of the Blue-throated Mountain-gem is drab greenish-gray, with additional patches of grayish-emerald green on the head, neck, and upper portion of the shoulder where the wing connects.

They weigh between 8.1 and 8.6 grams and have a length of 4.3 to 4.7 inches.

Female
Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem Hummingbirds:

Compared to their male counterparts, female Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds have duller appearances and lack the characteristic blue throat gorget feathers, showing instead a plain grayish throat.

They have greenish-bronze backs, grayish underparts and a double white stripe above the eye.

See my article:
Hummingbird Parents: (Mating to Nesting)

Juvenile
Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem Hummingbirds:

Male and female juvenile Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds initially resemble adult females until the male starts to develop the iridescent feathers that are characteristic of this species of hummingbird. 

Juvenile Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds exhibit behaviors typical of learning and gaining independence. They spend more time observing and learning from adult birds, gradually developing their foraging and flight skills. 

As juveniles molt into their first full set of feathers, the fluffy white undertail coverts become visible. These feathers are a distinguishing feature and are often more prominent due to their soft texture.

Note: The gorgeous blue throat and a “hint” of remaining white fluffy feathers near its bottom that will disappear as they age.

Baby
Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem Hummingbirds:

Baby Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem hummingbirds are tiny and born blind and featherless, measuring less than an inch long. Their translucent skin shows underlying veins, and their beaks are short and undeveloped. 

Dependent on their mother, they are fed regurgitated nectar and insects for growth. Soft downy feathers emerge within days, and their eyes open after about a week.

The mother protects and nurtures them until they fledge, typically around 3 weeks after hatching.

See my article:
Baby Hummingbirds: (Egg to Fledgling)

Hear the sounds of the Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology link).

One of the bigger hummingbird species in North America, the Cornell Lab reports that Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds weigh three times as much as Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds have the slowest reported wingbeat rate of any known hummingbird, in part due to their size.
A hummingbird with a longer wingspan can flap its wings in a figure-eight pattern far more forcefully than a smaller, more delicate hummingbird. 

The Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbird likes building their nests atop human residential structures or on overhanging rocks.
They are known to build new nests on top of older nests to resemble a tall tower and that they return to the same nest every year.

Most North American hummingbirds perform courtship aerial displays to attract mates, with the exception of the male Blue-throated Mountain-gem.
Instead, females signal selection and readiness for copulation with calls and short flights.

Like most hummingbirds, Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds are territorial with their food sources.
Because of their size, which requires them to consume a lot of insects for sustenance, they devour more insects than any other species of hummingbird.

See my article:
Why Hummingbirds Chase Each Other: Is it Friend or Foe?

Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds hybridize with other hummingbird species such as the Rivoli’s, Anna’s, Black-chinned, and Costa’s.

The oldest male Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbird known to science is 7 years and 11 months old. He was captured and released during an Arizona banding operation.

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded