Garnet-throated Hummingbird

About the Garnet-throated Hummingbird

The garnet-throated hummingbird (Lamprolaima rhami) is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The garnet-throated hummingbird is the only member of genus Lamprolaima, a name which is a combination of two Greek words: lampros, meaning brilliant or radiant and laimos, meaning throat. The specific epithet commemorates Henry Casimir de Rham Jr., an American naturalist and son of the Swiss diplomat Henry Casimir de Rham.

The garnet-throated hummingbird is 12 to 12.4 cm (4.7 to 4.9 in) long and weighs 5.6 to 7.1 g (0.20 to 0.25 oz). Both sexes have a short, straight, black bill. The adult male's upperparts are iridescent green. Much of the face is black, with a small white spot behind the eye. The gorget is shining rosy pink and the breast iridescent violet-blue. The rest of the underparts are blackish with mottled green flanks. The wings are rufous with dark brown tips to the feathers. The tail is dark purple with gray tips on the outer feathers. The adult female also has iridescent green upperparts. The underparts are dusky gray, usually with small... Wikipedia →