Sapphire-throated hummingbird
| Sapphire-throated hummingbird | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Lepidopyga |
| Species: | L. coeruleogularis |
| Binomial name | |
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Lepidopyga coeruleogularis Gould, 1851 |
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| Range of L. coeruleogularis | |
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The sapphire-throated hummingbird (Lepidopyga coeruleogularis) is a shiny metallic-green hummingbird found in Panama, Colombia, and more recently Costa Rica. It is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family, and one of three species in the genus Lepidopyga. Additionally, the sapphire-throated hummingbird is separated into three subspecies; Lepidopyga coeruleogularis coeruleogularis, Lepidopyga coeruleogularis coelina, and Lepidopyga coeruleogularis conifis.
Measuring 9 cm (3.5 in), this hummingbird sports a distinctively forked tail, which helps to distinguish it from other similarly sized and colored hummingbirds. The male is metallic green overall, with a violet-blue throat and dark tail. The female has entirely white underparts from throat to vent and distinctive green spots along the sides of the breast.
Due to its large home range and adaptability to habitat change, the sapphire-throated hummingbird is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. It prefers to live in mangroves, scrubs, and light forests, however is able to adapt if need be.
The sapphire-throated hummingbird has a full shiny metallic-green plumage, except for its darker tail and wings. The male has a broad, glistening blue-patched throat, whereas the female has a white-patched throat. The female also has distinct green spots along the sides of its breast. The tail is deeply notched and tipped with black coloration. The nominate subspecies Lepidopyga coeruleogularis coeruleogularis has a darker throat patch, whereas the subspecies
Lepidopyga coeruleogularis conifis has a more turquoise tone, and the subspecies Lepidopyga coeruleogularis coelina has a lighter-blue tone. Small in size, the hummingbird measures about 8.5–9.5 cm (3.3–3.7 in) centimeters in length and 4–4.5 grams (0.14–0.16 oz) in weight. The males have a straight, short bill with the maxilla colored black and the mandible colored a more pinkish tone and tipped with black.
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Wikipedia